No Rest for the Wicked
by RiotAct
Summary: Women are being brutally murdered on the streets of NYC and when tragedy strikes close to home its up to Riot, Spot and the gang to figure out who's behind it before more innocent girls are killed. But is it a stranger or a friend who is responsible?
1. Chapter 1

A/N -- Okay so I wasn't going to do a sequel because I wanted to do something entirely different but as I was thinking about it I realized that I had too much fun with some of my old characters, and I didn't get to fully explore others because I centered my story mainly in Brooklyn. Once again this story will take place in Brooklyn, but also there will be more involvement with Harlem, and Manhattan. SO! with that said, if anyone's interested, send me your Character profiles.

Since this will have characters from 'Going Home' certain people will still be paired up, like Spot and Riot ect. If you do NOT want your character to be in my sequel and you were in the original, please let me know that as well. I will post a list of questions I want you to answer in your CC at the end of the first chapter. Okay this was way too long. -- A/N

"Dead prostitute found floating in East River!! Coppers have no leads!" I stood on a crate and waved a paper over my head. It took me an hour to sell my papers, no joke. The murder of another 'poor unfortunate' as they were known was the third in two weeks time. Nobody was making a HUGE fuss about it since they had all been whores, but they had all died in pretty gruesome ways.

Lighting a cigarette with a wooden match, I slumped on the crate and yawned, hitching up the bottom of my patched gray pants to scratch my shin. My black hair had been hacked to my shoulders, the result of having contracted a fever and horrid cough a few weeks earlier. I mourned my long hair as did my old man, Spot Conlon. We had been together for a year and a half although sometimes it seemed so much longer. My gray eyes lit up as I stood and walked deeper into Brooklyn. It was lunch time and I knew where to find most everybody on a nice warm summer day such as it was.

Skirting a man selling fruit from a pushcart, I was careful to keep my head down and my cap on even though it was too warm for it. Spot was worried that whoever this madman was killing the whores that he would move on to us street kids. It wasn't a large leap and he was right to be cautious. I didn't take my hat off and skim my woolen vest down over my shoulders along with my suspenders until I reached the docks.

Hearing yelling, a smile broke out on my skinny face as I loped down the pier enjoying the thumping noises my footsteps made.

Boys were hurling themselves into the East River, some keeping their underwear on, other's completely nude. The girls lounged about making obscene suggestions that either made some boys embarrassed or swagger. You didn't last long as one of Spot's newsies unless you had a thick skin.

I caught an apple that seemed to drop from the sky and looked upward. Spot sat perched on a stack of crates, a smirk lightening his narrow face. I clambered up, barking my shin on the edge of a box, and swore a blue streak. Spot's eyebrows were raised as I reached him.

"My my what a mouth you have there Riot." Blushing I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You like it," I retorted and was rewarded when he paused in taking a bite from his own apple and his blue, blue eyes focused on my lips. Then he glanced up at me, tore a chunk out of the red fruit, and grinned.

"If you say so"

"Tsk! You really know how to get on my bad side don't you?" Spot wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me on the cheek.

"You like it" was all he said in reply and I couldn't help but laugh at him. He was right, I did enjoy our banter and if we didn't fight horrifically at least once a week then something was definitely off.

We sat in silence just enjoying the nice day, and the playful antics of the kids below. I had adjusted to this lifestyle quite well considering that I had come through a mirror from the future with a mission from a ghost. Shaking my head and rolling my eyes, I watched the kids.

We had some new boys, some younger, some our age. There weren't any new girls though, so the ones who were left became even closer. Hide and Seek were as incorrigible as ever, giving Duck and Bookworm who were their surrogate mothers no shortage of heart attacks.

"So what do you think of these murders?" I darted a look at Spot and saw that he had gone grim, his lips thinned and a tightness in his eyes and shoulders. Rubbing the nape of his neck, I shrugged.

"These things happen...but I hope they stop soon. It is rather unsettling." Gazing downward I frowned.

"I definitely don't want anything to happen to any of our kids." Spot's face relaxed and he poked me in the side gently with the golden top of his cane.

"Our kids, huh?" I gave him a serious glower.

"Yeah...ours." Spot held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Okay, okay I suppose you're right since I made you the female second-in-command."

"HAH yeah and you haven't told anybody about that either." Spot kissed my nose and stood up.

"I don't need to tell anyone about it, you're the only one who needs to know." Sighing loudly, I rolled my eyes again and followed him down the stack of crates, chucking my apple core into the water. Spot gathered everyone around with a piercing whistle and did his usual warnings about the girl's staying under the radar and for the boys to keep an extra watch out for them.

One of the things I loved about Spot was his concern for his gang. I knew him to be as competent as any general and he knew that he was nothing without his troops. He had plenty to worry him. Other kids wanting to steal selling territory, the recent murders, general poverty and danger that came with living on the streets were daily issues.

Before we parted, Spot put his hands on my shoulders and gave me a steady look.

"Take care of yourself this afternoon. Stick near Halloran's and get back before dark. I'll be back late, there's someone I have to talk to."

Kissing me on the ear, I watched him walk away and nearly jumped out of my skin. Emotions was standing by my side, gazing after Spot.

"Don't worry about that one, he's got nine lives."

"Eight, don't forget about him getting shot." Emotions let out a chuckle and we began walking away from the docks.

"Bah that was nothing, barely a scratch. Hey have you seen Spook and Cinder recently?" I shook my head. It had been at least three weeks since I had gone to see them and their infant daughter Susannah. Spook had kept leadership of Harlem and they were thriving with Jinx gone and harmony restored.

"Nah you know, they're still all googly over the baby even though she was born like five months ago." Emotions and I laughed and shook our heads. I loved babies but they scared me to death. I was terrified deep down inside that I was going to get pregnant because Spot and I engaged in risky behavior. It was really just a matter of time, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for that and how things would change.

I broke away from Emotions after we collected the afternoon edition and made my way towards Halloran's, a small family owned grocery store that I had made my selling ground. It wasn't hard to sell my paper's, not with the gruesome headlines. It was still very light out as I ambled down the sidewalk towards the lodging house. Another thing I loved about summer, the fact that the days were so long.

"Hey Riot!" I looked over my shoulder and smiled at Duck and Bookworm who were coming up behind me. Pausing, I lit a cigarette and smiled around the cancer stick hanging out of a corner of my mouth.

"Attractive Riot," Duck admonished me and I grinned at her.

"Luckily for me Spot doesn't mind it." Bookworm rolled her eyes and we headed up the street chattering about our day. Both girls expressed feeling on edge about the murders and I couldn't help but agree.

Reaching the lodging house, we collapsed on the front stoop shoving aside some of the boys to make spots for ourselves. Hide and Seek ran up covered in dirt and Bookworm began scolding them but they didn't even blink. Hide draped himself over my lap and I laughed, brushing hair out of his face.

"You better behave, I wouldn't want to get on Bookworm's bad side," I whispered into his ear and dug my fingers into his sides, smiling at his delighted giggle.

One of the boys came up the sidewalk with a paper rolled up under his arm, and flopping down at my feet, unfurled it to read. I was immediately struck by the illustrations as crude as they were.

"Hey Tommy can I see that?" The boy just grunted and handed it over his shoulder to me. It wasn't a regular paper, but more like a pamphlet put out by some sensationalist. The drawings were lurid and claimed to show details of the dead women's bodies and such. I was more stunned by the descriptions of what had been done to the corpses.

"Riot, what's the matter? You don't have to be afraid, those whores were all from Five Points." I nodded but didn't say anything because it wasn't that. Scanning the pages, I drew up short at the description of the latest victim.

She had been a Russian immigrant named Petra Vichnyov who had been found in the Points early one morning as her neighbor was heading to work. Her body had been face-down, and at first the neighbor had thought she was sleeping. But when he shook her shoulder and rolled her over, nothing could hide the blood-soaked clothing. Her throat had been cut and there were other mutilations on her body but the writer didn't go into detail.

Lifting my cigarette to my lips with shaky fingers, I took a deep breath and exhaled. It was far more hideous than our papers let on. I had a nagging feeling in the back of my head that wouldn't go away like a mosquito buzzing around my brain. Tucking the pamphlet into a back pocket I made my escape to my favorite hideout. I needed to think about why this was bothering me so much.

OKAY FOLKS! HERE'S THE START OF MY NEW STORY, HOPE IT GRABS YOUR ATTENTION. SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW WHERE I'M HEADING WITH THIS AND SOME OF YOU MAY NOT, BUT IT WON'T BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE THINKING I CAN ASSURE YOU.

NOW ON TO THE CASTING CALLS. HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS I WANT YOU TO ANSWER, AND YOU CAN EMAIL ME OR LEAVE IT IN THE REVIEW SECTION.

WHAT IS YOUR CHARACTER LIKE? DESCRIBE PHYSICAL TRAITS, NAME, AGE, AND PERSONALITY. GIVE ME FAMILY HISTORY OR THINGS FOR THE PAST IF THEY ARE IMPORTANT. PLEASE BE AS THOROUGH AS POSSIBLE SO I CAN CAPTURE YOUR CHARACTER TO YOUR LIKING SINCE I AM NOT THE ONE WHO CAME UP WITH IT, YOU ARE! :)

LIKES/DISLIKES

IF YOU WERE TO BE PAIRED UP WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE? GIVE ME A FIRST CHOICE AND A SECOND CHOICE SINCE IF SOME OF MY OLD CHARACTER PROFILES WANT TO BE IN THIS, THEY WILL BE PAIRED WITH WHO THEY WERE WITH IN THE PREQUEL. (ALSO IF YOU WANT ME TO MAKE SOMONE UP FOR YOU I CAN DO THAT TOO)

WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR EMPLOYMENT TO BE? DO YOU WANT TO BE A NEWSIE, A PROSTITUTE, A BARTENDER, WORK AT MEDDA'S, PICKPOCKET? GIVE ME A SUGGESTION

WHAT BOROUGH DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN, AND WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE? IF A NEWSIE DO YOU LIVE AT THE LODGING HOUSE, OR DO YOU HAVE FAMILY? IF YOU'RE A THEIF DO YOU LIVE IN AN ALLEY OR DO YOU HAVE A HIDEOUT?

I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE CC SO IF I FORGOT SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO ADD, GO FOR IT!! HOPE PEOPLE RESPOND :) THANKS!


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER - I forgot this the first time around so here goes; I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I only own the character's and story lines I come up with. Some of my character's are owned by other people and I will give them credit when I use them. Thanks for reading!!!

Characters welcome please

It was nice up on the roof. I enjoyed a slight breeze that ruffled my hair and cooled me off. Tugging the dime novel out of my back pocket I studied the pictures in silence. I suddenly knew why they seemed familiar and I could feel the color drain out my face.

Twelve years ago in 1888 there was a rash of killings in Whitechapel, England done by a man who went by the name 'Jack the Ripper'. Scotland Yard had never closed the case and it was presumed that he had escaped to America by some. I feverishly poured through the pages and examined each drawing of the damage done to the prostitutes.

From what I remembered in reading numerous books on serial killers, a morbid obsession I had nurtured back in the modern life I was almost certain that it was the same modus operandi of the English madman. Some believed that he had escaped to America, some thought he was a member of the royal family and others were of the opinion that he was a rather eccentric well known painter. There had also been an American who had been lodging in Whitechapel that caught their attention, but he left for the States soon after the heat threatened to engulf him.

I had always thought that it was either the painter or the visiting American. Both had knowledge of human anatomy and the American even had a history of pretending to be a doctor. Caught up in my musings, I didn't notice that Spot had climbed the rickety fire escape and was coming towards me. My hair had started to escape the small braid that I tucked up into my flat cap. Tendrils blew into my face as another nice breeze whipped by. As I slid my hair behind my ears, I noticed Spot and smiled, shoving the novel into my back pocket.

Spot had a slight smile on his lean face and he yawned, stretching as he approached. I admired the lean muscles that had appeared with his growth in the past year. He was filling out into the man's body that he would have. Already his shoulder's had widened and his arms had fleshed out firmly. He wore a dingy white shirt with sleeves that had been rolled up past his elbows. His signature red suspenders dangled around his waist and his brown pants almost didn't meet the tops of his battered boots.

Spot's cap was tucked into his back pocket and his dirty blonde hair was windswept. There was a scar running through his left eyebrow and ending at the corner of his eye, a result of a territory fight. Swagger had become the leader of the Trenton newsies and he returned every so often to fight and regain his 'pride'. Spot came up close beside me and leaned against the brick wall that surrounded the space on top of the roof.

"Laundry's almost dry" he commented as he continued to face the streets below, watching the people scurrying by. I glanced over to where we had set up a few clotheslines and nodded absently. Spot looked at me out of the corner of his eye and pulled me up against him and kissed me, his arms encircling my waist. I would have enjoyed it if he hadn't brushed against the pamphlet in my pocket. Pulling it out he frowned darkly.

"What the hell are you doing with this crap? You know it's all fake right?"

"Yeah well the two dead women aren't fake are they?" Spot's frown grew and reached his eyes darkening them to deep indigo.

"Yeah well this stuff is trash." With that he tossed it on the ground and I let out a quiet sigh happy that he hadn't ripped it up.

"Who did you get that from?"

"Spot relax okay? I'm not a police woman I'm not going to go out and try to solve the mystery. I just think that it's rather similar to the killings in England in 1888. Same type of profession shall we say, and each had organs removed."

"Yeah so?"

"So what if the Ripper came to America and is now attempting to do the same thing to women here!"

Spot gave me a look and turned so that he was leaning with his elbows against the brick outer wall, his profile stern. I heaved a sigh, knowing that he wasn't going to give me an inch and even knowing that he cared it didn't help dull the ache that beat within me that wanted to know the truth.

Blowing stray hairs away from my eyes I frowned and looked out onto centuries old New York City. I still couldn't believe that I was here and not a hundred or so years in the future.

Even when I was cursing the lack of resources that I had, I still counted myself blessed for the people that I had met and Spot was definitely one of those.

"Riot why do you care anyways? This has nothing to do with us newsies."

"Well it could, I mean we're only just a step up from the whores in societies eyes. What if something happens to one of us?" Spot was silent for a moment and then he turned and gripped my shoulder staring down at my face.

"I don't want you messed up in this, d'you hear me? It will not be a good thing if I find out that you're running around chasing after this lunatic." We had a glaring match and I looked away first. I didn't want to lie to his face so I thought not looking at him would be better.

"Sure thing Spot, I understand." Spot took my chin and lifted it back towards him and I could see a mixture of amusement, exasperation, anger and worry in his gaze and on his face.

"Don't lie to me Riot I don't handle lying very well. Promise me that you'll stay away from this. We're not involved and I want to keep it that way. We cut it close with Cinder and Spook and I don't want that to happen again." I sighed and finally nodded my head and gave him a muttered 'fine'.

Taking my hand in his he tugged me towards the fire escape and went down first like he always did. He said it was to make sure that it was safe but I always accused him of wanting to look at my bum.

When we slid into the boy's lodging room from the fire escape I had to blink to adjust to the smoky interior. Stepping over a pile of dirty laundry, I excused myself and ducked into the girl's room to stuff the novel I had rescued underneath my pillow. I got a curious look from Bells who sat feeding a tiny mouse that she cradled in a dirty hand.

"None of my business right?" Her English accent made me smile and I just shook my head at her. Shrugging, she tucked a lock of her unruly hair behind an ear.

"Grim's coming by tonight if you want to say 'hi'", she said after a moment. Looking away, I

nodded and gave her a vague answer. Grim and I had almost been an item before Spot and I but he ended up going with Bells. He and I weren't as close as we had been but he still insisted on seeing me when he came to Brooklyn from the Bronx to spend time with Bells.

It made me uncomfortable purely because I liked the both of them. Leaving the room I was

almost mowed down by Hide and Seek again and I cursed the both of them fluently. Seek stopped and gave me a wide eyed look, but Hide just thumbed his nose at me and giggled.

"Ooo you little! That's it I'm going to give you both haircuts right now!" Terror flashed onto their thin faces as hands went up protectively to their shaggy straw colored hair.

"Never!" Hide bellowed, flashing me an obscene gesture. They scattered giggling hysterically when I took off after them.

Our feet made slapping noises against the worn wooden hallway floor. One of the twins ducked into the boys room and I ignored him, stretching out a hand to snag the other one by his dirty collar. We landed in a tangled, swearing heap of elbows, knees and feet onto the floor.

Putting the boy in my arms into a headlock, I began to furiously give him a noogie hooting triumphantly all the while. Two feet came into view as the twin, who I saw now to be Hide squirmed and tried to escape. A short cough made us both look up into Spot's face. I knew he was amused but he was trying to hide it.

"Hi," I said sweetly smiling up at his upside down face. Hide finally got free and I pushed myself into a sitting position as he hid behind Spot.

"She chased me and knocked me down and said I was getting a haircut!" the little boy said accusingly to Spot. I crossed my arms and winked at Spot who huffed and threw his hands up in the air.

"You probably deserved it you little hooligan." Hide puffed out his chest in indignation then gave me a slobbery kiss on the cheek before running away laughing. I chuckled softly and took Spot's hand letting him pull me to my feet.

"They love you," he said as I put a hand onto his chest to steady myself. Smiling, I pushed away from him.

"It happens," I said quietly. We had been together for a year or so but we both were still reserved about the 'L' word. I had a suspicion that he said mushy things to me in Gaelic which I didn't understand but it was just a thought. Straightening my clothes, I took his hand and we went downstairs to the lobby.

It wasn't long before Grim came and greeted me like a long lost relative. I rolled my eyes and smiled at Spot over his shoulder as he hugged me. Spot raised an eyebrow and I hoped he wasn't going to pull one of his jealous acts. But he stayed silent and we didn't stay in the lobby for long. Upstairs Spot and I parted ways since I wanted to go to bed early and he wanted to play poker.

I shed most of my clothes except for my undergarments once inside Spot's room and threw the window open since his room was stuffy. Fingering the key I wore around my neck that had once been Spot's, I felt my lips thin into a grim line. I really hoped that my paranoia was unfounded. Tomorrow I was going to go visit someone who could help me dig up information. Even though I had promised Spot I wouldn't go headlong into trouble I needed to do this to ease my own mind.

Curling up on the mattress that slumped in a corner of the room, I fell asleep almost immediately.

SHOUT OUTS

CES5410 -- Thank you! I'm glad you like my writing and I'm really glad you like my OC. Writing OC's is hard sometimes!

CAILIN BAIRE CONLON -- Thank you for reading my new story!

ELLEESTJENN -- Your wish is my command! I'm sorry I waited a while before updating this...I'm horrid like that. I hope you like your OC who will debut in the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning I got up before Spot, which was rare and I stretched yawning. He stirred next to me, muttering something in his sleep. I smiled down at him and ran my fingers through his hair. It was dark in the room and I was very careful when I stood up and stepped over Spot's still form and onto the floor.

I was loathe to light the gas lamp and wake Spot up. I wanted him to get as much sleep as possible and I also didn't want him to make a big deal about where I was going.

After stubbing my toe against the chair where I had lay my clothes from the previous day out, I muffled a swear and began dressing in the dark. I had just finger-combed my hair, tucked my cap on and was groping for my boots by the door when Spot spoke.

"Why are you bumbling around in the dark?"I straightened with a grimace and heard the rasp of a match being lit. The room was suffused with a warm glow and I turned around giving Spot a shamefaced look.

"I didn't want to wake you up that's all." Spot was sitting on the edge of the mattress, blearily scratching his chest. I admired the play of light on his lean muscles and heard him snort softly.

Looking at his face, I blushed to see him giving me an amused leer. Spot stood up

in a fluid movement hitching his underwear up around his hips.

"See anything you like?"He asked me drily, his eyes laughing at me as he walked over. I felt myself turn even redder and just shrugged. He took my chin in his fingers and kissed me softly on the lips.

"You still get so embarrassed after a year."

"Yeah well...I know,"was all I said leaning my cheek onto his chest. He slid his arms around me and tightened them, dropping a kiss onto the top of my head.

"It's cute,"he laughed before he moved away and began getting dressed himself.

"Glad you think so,"I retorted softly but I was smiling. Spot yanked on his pants and an undershirt before buttoning a plaid shirt on and rolling up the sleeves. Making sure the gas lamp was extinguished, he herded me out of our room, his cane and hat in hand. As he walked by the boys and girls rooms he pounded on their doors with a closed fist and hollered for them to wake up.

Breakfast was some stale bread and water as we walked to the distribution office. Once we had bought our papers, Spot and I separated for the morning, something which I credited to us staying together for as long as we had. I don't think I could have handled him twenty-four-seven. I set up at my usual area and began yelling out headlines.

I hadn't been there for more than two hours when I began to get that itchy feeling that someone was watching me. I let my eyes slowly scan the crowds of people filling the street. There were old men hanging out front of the little store I sold right outside of. I knew them and dismissed them. Down the alley to my right were doorways to apartments and people loitered there too but again I knew them if not by name then by sight.

It wasn't until I shifted position after handing change to a gentleman that I saw the young man. He was to my left, standing under a brightly striped awning in front of a small pharmacy. I will give him this much, if I hadn't been looking I wouldn't have spotted him. But catch his eye I did and I raised an eyebrow as I looked him over.

The man was tall, over six feet. It was too far away to see his eyes, but I could spy dark hair underneath his bowler hat. He wore a suit and vest with shined shoes. This was definitely no street kid. When he took his hat off and bowed, giving me a smirk before disappearing, I was intrigued.

"D'you know him lass?"I jumped a foot in the air and whirled around to come face to face with one of the old men who had been standing by the store. Shaking my head, I pursed my lips as the old man's rheumy pale eyes looked over me as if searching the packed street.

"Who is it Seamus?" Seamus tucked a cigarette into his mouth and lit it.

"Never you mind missy but you stay away from him, d'you hear me? I know you hang out with Conlon's crew but his is worse." Then Seamus was gone, and I turned around to look myself but couldn't find hide nor hair of the strange young man.

Frowning I went about the rest of the morning keeping a sharp eye out for anyone watching me more than was necessary. Lunchtime meant meeting up with Spot and the rest of the gang down at the docks. It was a check-in as well, to give Spot an idea of how everyone was doing.

I was distracted and noticed Spot watching me out of the corner of his eyes as he

talked to Action. I pasted a smile on my face and began joking around with Emotions because I didn't want to start anything about that morning.

"So how are those old geezers treating you at the store?" I grinned at Emotions.

"They're alright, they look out for me actually." Emotions chuckled and bit into a huge pickle she had bought from a vender down the street. I was half-heartedly gnawing on an apple Spot had given me. I jumped a little when someone sat down next to me and tensed up as I looked over and into Spot's face. He just gave me a glance from under hooded eyes and slid an arm around my waist and squeezed lightly.

"You're jumpy," he remarked and tore into roll that held a slab of corned beef and mustard. I felt my mouth watering and blushed when my stomach yowled loudly. Spot laughed and held the sandwich out to me.

"Go ahead, take a bite I can tell you want to." I smiled sheepishly and ripped a huge chunk off with my teeth. It was delicious and I sighed happily. Spot had many surrogate 'mothers' who made sure he ate something when he ran into them. His charm was what kept him fed and he was lucky to have it because his temper was just as prominent and not well received.

"Thanks," I mumbled, my mouth full and handed it back. Spot bit into it and we sat in silence the gulls wheeling and screeching around our heads. The river smelled strongly today due to the warm weather and it was giving me a headache.

Hearing the clanging of the bells that signaled the afternoon edition being ready to pick up, everyone began trudging towards the distribution center. I headed down the dock with Spot, but as he turned one way, I stopped and kissing him on the cheek went the other way towards Manhattan.

"You're not selling?" Spot's hand caught the sleeve of my shirt and I let out a sigh. Spinning on my heel, I thrust my hands into my pockets and shook my head. Spot's face had gone grim and his eyes were flashing a little.

"I'll buy extra tomorrow, I promise. I have to go see Silver she asked me to come today." Spot crossed his arms.

"There weren't any runners from Manhattan today." I could feel my chin beginning to square and lift and my mouth setting into a stubborn line. Scratching my cheek I just gave Spot a bland look.

"Are you really asking me to be where you want me to be all the time?" Spot opened his mouth and I knew he was planning on saying 'yes'. But then a shadow passed through his eyes and I knew he was thinking about Cinder and how that had made her run back to her old boyfriend Spook.

"No Riot,"Spot said his voice even and controlled. Taking a step forward so that he was in my face, I made as if to back away but he grabbed the nape of my neck and held me in place.

"I EXPECT you to be CAREFUL, that's all." I couldn't avoid Spot's eyes and I just stared at him not sure if he was angry or just being intense. I had never dated anyone so hands on. Spot didn't hurt me, but he wasn't afraid to be a little physical to make a point. Swallowing hard, I darted my eyes to either side and then nodded at him. Spot suddenly shook me gently by the neck.

"Hey, look at me." I did and saw that his eyes had gone amused and his cheeks were a little pink.

"You know I would never hurt you, right?" Licking my lips I murmured something and he let go of me and kissed my lips lightly.

"Well I never will okay? I just want to make sure that you're not going to get hurt. I know you've been here for awhile but this ain't Vermont okay? Go have fun with Silver." He went to leave, but I grabbed him from behind and kissed him under one of his ears hard before turning and running away. I could hear his laughter drifting away on the air as I wove my way through the docks.

Spot was right, I wasn't planning on stopping by the girl's lodging house to see Silver. I had another agenda in mind, and as I ducked down a dim alley I stopped to look around and make sure I was going the right way. Once I reached the small storefront that although shabby had a fresh coat of paint on the sign over the door, and sparkling clean windows, I ducked inside.

"Hello, welcome to Spencer's Books how can I help...Oh it's just you." I snorted out a laugh at the petite girl who stood on a small ladder with wheels at the top of a bookcase that almost reached ceiling.

"Nice to see you too, Accents, how's it going?"

"Oh you know," Accents, otherwise known as Jenna said nonchalantly as she put away the last book in her hands and wiped dust onto her skirt. I had met Accents a few months ago and had been instantly confused. She was small, she stood an inch taller than me at five feet and she had lovely blonde hair and blue eyes. She had apparently come from California after losing her family and was lucky to have been taken in by an old man who needed help with his book store.

The girl had immediately struck me because being shy when meeting people, had spoken in a variety of accents, starting out with the laid back California one, then slipping into a drawling Southern voice and ending with New York slang. She was quite talented and I had tried to get her to take up the stage life but she claimed to be too shy.

"So Riot, what brings you here on this fine day?" Today Accent's voice was tinged with a British twist and I laughed before pulling the pamphlet out of my back pocket. Accents' turned greenish as she flipped through it and her blue eyes were wide as she pushed it across the counter towards me.

"What are you doing with that filth?"

"I think that the Ripper has come to New York City. There have been some murders, mostly women of ill repute, but you know its only a matter of time until us street girls are turned to. We're either homeless or shifty and nobody cares about what happens to us except our crews." Accents cocked her head at me, a lock of shining yellow hair obscuring one of her eyes.

"So what do you expect to do about it?" I lit a cigarette which Accents took from me and stubbed out swiftly.

"None of that me friend, tis an awful habit." Her speech pattern had grown lilting like an Irish woman and I knew she was growing nervous.

"Sorry, I always forget you don't smoke Accents. Listen I was wondering if you kept old newspapers that I could go through to see if there were any clues. A murderer is one thing, but the Ripper is quite different. He managed elude Scotland Yard even after he supposedly sent mocking letters and... pieces of body parts to them. That is no easy feat and we need to be on our toes. I just want to be prepared is all," I finished somewhat lamely.

Accents' eyes pierced right through me, reminding me of Spot and I swallowed audibly.

"I'm not stupid Riot. You plan on trying to catch this madman. Well I'll give you the newspapers but don't drag me into this, d'you hear me? I won't stand for it and neither will Ghost." I nodded and silently reflected on the odd pairing of the two. Ghost was a lookout for Brooklyn, pale haired and with eyes so light gray they almost seemed colorless. But Ghost loved to read as much as Accents and her outgoing nature once she was comfortable with a person seemed to draw him out of his shell.

"Here," Accents said finally dropping a handful of dusty papers into my hands. I flipped through them quickly, noting that they were not exactly papers of solid reputations but they would suffice.

"Can I keep them here? Spot isn't exactly being supportive in all of this." I ducked my head and felt my cheeks turning hot. Accents sighed and twisted her mouth into a semblance of a smile.

"I guess so Riot, but that's it I'm done helping." Nodding and clasping her hand gratefully, I left with the promise that I would be back either tomorrow or the next day.

After leaving the store, I glanced upwards and with a jolt, saw that it was almost noon judging by the position of the sun. Setting my mouth into a grim line, I went to find another girl that I needed to talk to.

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Accents, she is owned by elleestJenn. I hope I did your character justice and if you don't want her with Ghost, I can fix it.

SHOUT OUTS -

CES5410 - I'm glad you're enjoying this and like the way the story is flowing! I wish you had a character too, I love trying to write them as their author's would it's a challenge I enjoy. I hope you keep reading!

elleestJenn - Thanks for still reading this and I hope you like the way I portrayed Accents. If there is anything that sticks out that you DON'T like let me know.

xxWickedWench - I will definitely use your character she is coming up. I am so happy you liked it and I appreciate your review. I was so hoping that my character's weren't cliche and that was something I struggled with (I still do). I'm always afraid I'll slip into a story that is lame and stale. Thanks for assuring me that I'm still going in the right direction!

UnflatteringHogwash - Thank you for the review I'm glad you're reading my story.

Elyse - Thank you so much, and please do come up with a CC, I'm always looking for new ones and I think yours would end up being great. Just drop me a line if you do and I will surely incorporate it into the story.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - I don't own the newsies or Angel aka Alyssa O'Rourke. She is owned by xxWickedWench. Thanks for reading and please, please, please review and let me know how I'm doing. I'll love you forever, I promise. Thanks again!**

I made my way through Manhattan, my eyes darting here and there. The streets were crowded, people were starting to make their way home from work. I slipped around a group of Irish factory girls and finally saw my prey, a smile working it's way onto my thin face.

I had followed the alleys and had come onto Duane Street where the boy newsie's had their lodging house. Mush was out front with Tiggey and I gave a little wave but continued on to a side door where a medium sized girl sat with Racetrack cracking jokes.

"Lissa O'Rourke just the street rat I was looking for." Lissa gave a start and spun around her green eyes reminding me of the color of my favorite apples. A few black ringlets escaped from a cap that she had stuffed most of her hair under and a smear of black decorated one cheek, hiding the spray of freckles that crossed her nose and covered her upper cheeks.

"Street rat huh? No Brooklyn broad can ever talk down to me, especially Spot Conlon's flavor of the week." I stiffened and knew that my eyes were narrowing. It took me a couple of deep breaths to realize that Lissa, otherwise known as 'Angel' was smiling broadly.

"Yikes a little touchy today aren't we Riot? You gotta relax, you'll give yourself a stroke." I punched Angel on the shoulder, and she punched me back on the arm relatively hard. I knew she could hold her own on the street and boy did she have to. Angel was a pickpocket, having picked up the trade from a boy named Dodger after seeing him pick the pocket of an old man. She also dabbled in outright thieving which resulted in her being locked up in an orphanage until she was twelve.

I admired her survival skills and the fact that even though she slept on the streets most of the time, it didn't kill her high spirits and occasional goofiness. Underneath her tough facade was a kindness that blossomed to those who got past the walls she had built up to persevere.

"You idiot, I've lasted almost a year with that boy, get your facts straight." Angel lit a cigarette and passed it to me.

"Yeah well there's no chance in hell I'm ever going to Brooklyn again so info is limited." I knew that Rooster had caught her trying to pick Top's pocket and the ensuing chaos made her skittish when it came to that particular borough.

"What are you doing here so late Riot? Spot's probably having a shit-fit." I grinned at Racetrack and shrugged.

"I need to speak with Angel here about something." Racetrack looked at me expectantly.

"Sorry Race, but it's private." Angel rolled her eyes and let out a drag of smoke through her nostrils.

"Oh Lord, here we go. You are SO going to do something stupid aren't you?" Her voice was sarcastic but her green eyes were flooded with worry. Racetrack stood up, a cigar stub hanging out of the corner of his mouth and he gave me an admonishing look before disappearing inside. I sat down on the brick steps, feeling their coolness through my thin pants and stretched out my legs.

"Have you noticed any strange people down here while you're working?" Angel snickered at my use of the word 'working' and gave me a weird look.

"I always notice strange people. In case you haven't figured it out this ain't the well to do area." I pursed my lips but pressed on.

"Listen have you heard about the murders in Five Points?" Angel snorted and flicked the end of her cigarette into a pile of urine that had been emptied from a chamber pot from above.

"Which one Riot? More murders happen there than you can count." Her face was grim and she crossed her arms over her forest green vest. I dug some hardtack from out of my pocket and split it with her. We had to gnaw on it for it was almost inedible. I got it from the sailors down on the docks who used it on their voyages because it lasted a long time.

Swallowing a piece that made my throat dry, I coughed and wiped my lips.

"You know Angel, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Those women who got their guts pulled out."

Angel's face turned pale, her freckles standing out. Standing up, she gave me a glower.

"Hell no Riot, I'm not dealing with that. You go get Misery or someone crazy enough to help you. D'you actually think you'll find that maniac? D'you have a death wish or something?" I calmly stood up and looked her in the eyes.

"He'll come after us next, you know he will. I don't expect you to go on a hellbent mission to take this guy out I just want you to keep an eye on any suspicious people wandering around. And please, please, please consider staying at Silver's. You'll be safer there then in your little shack."

"We'll see," was all Angel said before disappearing down the side street, her shoulder's tense. It was then I felt eyes boring into my back and I swiftly turned to catch the man I had seen earlier across the busy street. He had a newspaper and was reading it, but I caught him staring at me.

Folding the paper, he carefully made his way over to where I stood, my heart pumping with adrenaline.

"I don't know who you are, but you should know there are about twenty men in this building who will practically kill you if you hurt me."

The man wasn't wearing his bowler hat this time, and he had slicked his black hair straight back. He looked older than when I had spied him in Brooklyn, and his nose was slightly crooked and had obviously been broken some time ago. He still wore his nice suit and I could see that he had shined his shoes. But above all it was his eyes that drew me. They were a dark blue with melon colored circles around his irises. I had never seen anything like it.

"I've been hearing that you are interested in finding the man who is mimicking the Ripper. My name is Hamish MacGregor and I am from Scotland Yard." Snorting in disbelief at the hand he held out expecting me to shake, I put hands on my hips and looked him up and down scornfully.

"Where's your badge?" I demanded my voice wavering. I was unnerved and hated showing it. The bastard had rattled me thats for sure. He chuckled and pulled out a thin leather wallet that he flipped open only long enough for me to see the shine of metal.

"You could have gotten that anywhere. And how did you know I was looking for information on that madman?" Hamish gave me a look that bored into my eyes leaving me half hypnotized.

"I'm a detective it's my job lass. I'm here to tell you to stop what you're doing, no good will come of it. You don't know the first thing about this evil creature. He kills with no remorse, has no pity or empathy for his victims , my dear you are out of your league." I stood up straighter, the hair on the back of my neck standing up in indignation.

"You know nothing about me sir, and I think you should leave now before I scream. How do I know you aren't the Ripper yourself?" Hamish gave a mirthless chuckle and straightened the cuffs of his sleeves.

"You don't my little urchin girl but if you do not get home before the early hours of nighttime you may run into him since you are so eager to meet the devil himself." He shot out a manicured hand and dug his finger's painfully into my shoulder. I tried to twist out of his grip, but he was stronger than I thought.

"I repeat," he said in a faint Scottish brogue, his face earnest yet severe with a harsh light to his strange eyes.

"Decease in your morbid fascination with this man. It will bring you nothing but grief." Then he let me go just as quickly as he had touched me, and walked away, his strides large, and disappeared into the thinning crowds of people.

My jaw dropped open and I ran to the edge of the lodging house, my hands shaking in fright, peeking around the corner. He could almost been a fragment of my imagination if not for the soreness of where he had accosted me.

"Riot," I heard a low voice say, thick with anger and disapproval. I looked down the other side of the sidewalk and saw Jack and Blink standing nearby their arms crossed .

"Hi fellers, what's shaking?" I tried to keep my voice light, but Jack moved forward and grasped my upper arm.

"Oh Riot, we are going to talk and we are going to do it now." I fought him, twisting this way and that, but Blink stepped forward and took my other arm. Dragging my feet, head drooping, I suddenly looked up.

"What about Spot? If I don't go home he'll send people after me." Jack gave me a tight smile.

"He's already here, chicky. And he ain't in a happy mood." Feeling my stomach lunge up into my throat, I spat out some bile and let the two young men carry me towards my judge and jury of one pissed off boyfriend.

SHOUT OUTS

ElleestJenn - Thank you so much for reviewing, you are one faithful reviewer and I appreciate more than you know. I'm glad you think I got Accents right, I'm always afraid that I won't do other people's characters justice. And you know I won't tell you anything in advance, I'm a stinker like that.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N - I don't own Angel, she is owned by xxWickedWench. I also don't own Accents, she is owned by elleestJenn.

The lobby was strangely quiet as we entered, and both boys tightened their grips on my arms as if I would suddenly bolt. I chuckled mirthlessly for there was nowhere for me to go. A hush fell over the few newsies who were in the lobby and I swallowed painfully wondering just how angry Spot was.

I noticed Ghost was there and I gave him a dirty look, knowing that he had followed me around today. There was no other explanation as to how Spot knew what I was up to. 'Although', I mused to myself 'He really still can't know that I'm fishing for information unless he talked to...' and then I saw Accents and Angel.

Both girls met my glance, Angel's was defiant, and Accents' was somber. I couldn't really be mad at them, I knew that if I was in their position and someone was doing something as crazy as me I might tell their borough leader too. Sighing to myself, I wrestled my arms away from Blink and Jack, and walked up the stairs on my own. The boy's bunkroom had been emptied and I felt the hot dog I had eaten earlier rise up into my throat.

"Damn sauerkraut." I muttered and then caught sight of Spot standing by one of the open windows, his back to us. Jack shut the door and steered me to a chair at the rickety table where there was usually a poker game going on at this time.

Then he crossed his arms and stood, looking at me, his mouth pursed in disapproval and his brown eyes grave. Blink leaned up against the wall, his one blue eye darting back and forth between Spot and I.

"We got us a problem here Riot, and we're not sure how to fix it." I was a little taken aback to hear Blink speak first but then it registered that he WAS the leader of Manhattan now, along with Mush. I wondered where Mush was but stopped when Blink began talking again.

"You've been asking some of our kids to help you search for the madman killing them whores in the Points. We don't want our kids involved...at all." I squinted up at Blink and felt a spurt of anger jolt through me.

"Angel and Accents aren't newsies, since when do they fall under your jurisdiction?" Blink frowned at me, and scratched his cheek, a lock of his dirty blonde hair falling forward over his eyepatch.

"They sleep here sometimes, and that counts. Stop trying to weasel your way out of this."

"Weasel...WEASEL MY WAY OUT OF WHAT? Yeah I asked them for some help but only information. Jesus Christ Blink I didn't ask them to come with me to the Points and start poking around or anything." I was so angry I could feel my hands shaking as I tried to light a cigarette. Jack finally took pity on me and struck a match against the rough grain of the table.

"Gathering information can get people into trouble, Riot. It's not always as innocent as it seems." Jack's voice was pitched low and calm. I suddenly knew with a rush of understanding that Blink was going to play bad cop while Jack played good cop. I almost giggled with hysterical laughter at the idea but kept my mouth buttoned shut. I figured it was a good idea since Spot chose that moment to turn around.

I bit my lip at the expression on Spot's face. It was cold, and his eyes were bleak. I felt myself growing angry again, for in my mind I had done nothing wrong. But I was about to learn that in Spot's eyes, I had done something very grievous indeed. For the span of a few heartbeats we stared at each other and something unspoken passed between him and the other two boys for they left the room. I wanted to grab at them, make them take me with them for I would rather be anywhere else then in the same room as this young man right now.

Hands in pockets, he watched me through his hair, his chin sitting on his chest the muscles in his jaw square with tension. Nervously I lit a cigarette and then huffed out a breath and met his gaze.

"What Spot? What do YOU have to say about all of this?"

"You lied to me," his voice was raspy as if he hadn't used it yet today. Scratching a spot on my jaw, I was taken aback.

"When did I lie to you?"

"You told me you weren't going to get mixed up in this and you promised me that you were going to be careful. PROMISED ME," he flared up crossing the room in two long strides and yanking me out of my chair.

"You promised me you were going to be careful," he repeated as he shook me to emphasize each word.

"Spot, I'm really sorry I never meant to get you upset. I've learned my lesson and I swear that..."

"I don't think you have," he broke in suddenly. The light was beginning to dim but I swear his eyes were glowing they were so angry. I was speechless, I didn't know what to say. Curiosity killed the cat and I was constantly afflicted by that damn problem.

"I worry about you too much Riot. You're always getting into one scrape after another. After last year..."

LAST YEAR? I did all that meddling to help YOU last year." Spot's hands dropped to my sides and then he lifted them again, threaded fingers through my hair and pulled his mouth down to mine roughly. My lips felt bruised when we broke apart and his voice was so low I wouldn't have caught what he said if he hadn't been standing so close.

"I can't have you living in Brooklyn if I can't concentrate on other things besides you. And if you bring ruin down upon my borough..." I stumbled back, my mouth dry and blinked at him stupidly.

"What are you trying to say?" I finally managed to mutter, smoothing my sweaty palms across the dirty front of my vest. Spot gave me a soft, sad smile and reached out to cup my cheek in his palm but I jerked away.

"Are you kicking me out of Brooklyn?"

"I think you should stay elsewhere for a while, yes. Then maybe you really know what it is you endanger when you pull stunts like this." I couldn't speak and there was a pain in my chest that made me press a hand and hold it there.

"You...you fucking bastard," I grated out before I turned and ran out of the room. I didn't see him punch the wall, or rush back to the window to see me disappear out into the steadily increasing gloom of nightfall.

Jack came into the room and put a hand onto Spot's shoulder. He felt so tense that Jack was afraid he was going to snap, but Spot only half-turned his head and stared back. Patting Spot once, Jack went to a small dresser and lifted out a smudged dark green bottle.

"You did what you had to do, Brooklyn. She has to learn that the greater of the good comes first, especially living with you." Spot gave a mirthless chuckle and took a generous pull off of the bottle.

"This will be one lesson that I never wanted to teach and she'll never want to accept."

As luck would have it, it began to rain while I ran on through the streets and alleyways. I knew I could stay with Silver and her girls, and I also knew that if push came to shove I could stay with Grim in the Bronx. But the Bronx was a male only establishment and I didn't want to run my risks there. No, instead I found myself on one side of a deserted street after dark, rain plastering my hair and clothes to my body even though I wore my tweed cap.

I felt like a drowned rat and I knew I looked worse but I still hesitated. The small, dilapidated tenement was housed by primarily newsies but I knew they let some bums sleep in the basement. I could see lights and knew that it was relatively dry and they probably had food too. I wasn't sure what had drawn me here, but as I made my way across the street, wiping water out of my eyes I was glad that it was raining so no one could see the tears.

When I knocked on the door it revealed a face I was familiar with, although the boy had sprouted an inch or two and his front teeth had grown back. But he still had the same brown cowlick, and he remembered me as well. Eyes widening, he turned and shouted down the hallway.

Cinder came running, Susannah balanced on one hip, her face a mixture of concern and curiosity. Then she peered closer at my face and without saying another word, drew me into the Harlem lodging house and shut the door.

A/N - I know this is short, I'll make up for it next chapter. I just wanted to get something up and I started to have too many ideas whirling around in my head at once so I need to get them in order. But I wanted those of you who still read to have something at least.

SHOUT OUTS

CES5410 - That's okay i'm just glad you're still reading! Yes the detective will play a bigger part in this but I won't say how. Hope you liked this even though it was short. I will do more next time.

xxWickedWench - I'm glad I got your OC down okay, I like the way she and Riot interact as well. An no, it's okay to love Riot, I know I do! She's pieces of me and pieces of my friends squished together. Thank you for the encouragement, I always need it since I never know if I'm writing as well as other times. Thanks again it means a lot :D


	6. Chapter 6

Cinder situated me in a small bunk room where the tiny group of Harlem girls slept. There was probably four of them, and they all openly studied me with various degrees of curiosity and veiled hostility. Finally one of them, a tall skinny girl with chocolate colored hair and bright gray eyes came forward and introduced herself. Spitting into her hand and shaking with me, she informed me that her name was Icicle. The other three followed suit, and I met a short, chubby girl named Sweets, a tiny girl who couldn't have been more than twelve with odd yellowish eyes and black hair who said her name was Amber, and a medium sized girl with blonde hair and piercing dark brown eyes who called herself Story.

Nodding absently, I let Cinder guide me to a cot that was covered with a thin, lumpy mattress, no pillow and a blanket that smelled strongly of it's previous owner. I didn't care, I just curled up into a ball and cried myself to sleep. When I woke up, it was dark and dreary outside and the rain was pounding down even harder if that was possible. The other girls stirred and began to ready themselves for the day, all of the grumbling about the poor weather.

"At least it's warm out," sighed Story as she stuffed her hair up into a tweed cap. Their faces were all pinched with hunger and more than one showed signs of malnutrition. My heart twisted for them even though they were strangers.

Warily, I made my way downstairs and into the main living space. The group of Harlem newsies that were shuffling out the door all seemed dejected and beaten down. I could smell alcohol wafting off the breaths of quite a few of them. Cinder snagged me by the arm and pulled into a tiny room that was equipped with a stove, wash basin, and a back door to throw out refuse.

Handing me a cracked mug filled with weak tea, she studied me, her turquoise eyes still pretty yet shadowed by purple smudges. Taking a deep breath, I looked back at her and was mortified to find my own gray eyes filling with tears.

Putting my mug down, I launched myself into Cinder's open arms and sobbed brokenly. She patted my back, whispering comforting words into my ear. Finally after I soaked the front of her faded blue shirtwaist, I pulled back sniffling and swiping at my face with dirty hands.

"He...asked me to leave. He said I was compromising the safety of the borough. Jack and Blink said the same thing about Manhattan. I know I could stay with Silver, but I didn't want her to get involved."

Cinder gave me a serious look and asked me explain. I did so briefly and her face closed down even more, an intense, thoughtfulness encompassing her elfin features. Then she cocked her head and sighed deeply.

"I owe you so much, Riot you know that. At this point I would do almost anything to help you but what with Susannah and Spook having this lingering cough..." I glanced at her sideways. No one had mentioned that Spook was sick before, but he had probably been hiding it. Hearing Susannah begin to fuss in another room, Cinder excused herself. I swallowed the rest of the hot tea and left out the back door, pulling my cap down low over my ears and eyes.

It was early, and the rain relentless. I ambled along the streets of Harlem, my mind in a fog. I didn't know where to go and didn't want to get the same reception anywhere else I tried. Part of me wanted to go back to Brooklyn and get down on my knees and beg, but my pride kept me in check. I also contemplated going back there and living on the streets until Spot came around. Keeping that in the back of my mind, I reversed my direction and head towards Manhattan.

A thought had pushed itself to the forefront of my mind and I knew it was the worst idea I could ever come up with. My feet seemed to have a mind of their own as I headed towards the intersections of Mulberry, Anthony, Cross, Orange, and Little Water Streets. The Five Points had pretty much been torn to the ground and turned into administrative buildings and that the sordid inhabitants and migrated to the Lower East Side, but there were still hangers-on and it would put me smack dab into the middle of my morbid curiosities.

A year ago I had been kidnapped by Jinx, a rival for leadership of the Harlem faction and brought to the Points and it hadn't been a good experience. But out of my own volition I soon was slinking down Mulberry Street into a neighborhood I knew of as the Bandit's Roost. Hard, working class men watched my every step and some women hung out of window's and did as well. I didn't make eye contact, just kept skulking until a short, barrel chested man stopped me with a piece of plywood across my chest.

"What d'ye want girlie?" I swallowed and looked up at his cold blue eyes. He wore a bowler hat and was handsome underneath the grime that coated his face and hands. He couldn't have been more than twenty-five but looked ten years older at least.

"Don't want anything, just looking for a place to squat." The man snorted and wiped rain water out of his eyes. The rain seemed to be letting up but no sun shone through the dense clouds to lighten the mood.

"You shouldn't be here, get lost." A woman hanging out of a nearby window was eyeing me with contempt. Her mouth was slightly sunken in from missing teeth, and her green eyes were watery and defeated. But she was giving the man in front of me proprietary glances that he ignored pointedly.

Nervously I fingered the shillelagh that I had carved and was stuck into one of my belt loops. The man smirked and with nimble fingers snatched it away from me.

"What's a half-pint of a girlie doing with this?" I tried to grab it back, but was met with a leer and the sudden knowledge that there were more bodies hemming me in up against a nearby building. The man with my shillelagh tossed it to one side and put his arms on either side of me, neatly ensuring that I wasn't going anywhere.

"Ah c'mon Declan don't hog the fresh meat." Declan winked down at me, and I saw that he was missing some teeth of his own. Then an authoritative female voice rang out in the narrow alleyway.

"Declan Moody you get your paws off of that little girl this instant. And as for the rest of ye scavengers ye can squash your plans as well." A small, stout woman with white hair braided and pinned on top of her head like a crown, thrust her way through lines of wash that hung low across the alley from building to building. Elbowing Declan aside, she took me by the upper arm and hauled me away from the group of now chastened yet disgruntled men. The near toothless woman who had been glaring daggers at me spit as I walked by but I ignored her. Stepping over a dank, brown puddle with the skirts of her slightly baggy brown dress, the woman led me to a scarred door down near the end of the alley.

"So it's a place ye be needing? And how will you pay?" I still had some coins from selling newspapers so I offered them to her. The old woman actually bit each one in front of me before grunting in satisfaction before opening the door. I took a deep breath and followed her inside, a deep feeling foreboding seeping into my bones. What the Hell had I done now?

SHOUT OUTS!

xxWickedWench - Ah yes I am unfortunately very fond of cliffies. They make me giddy inside which can't be a good thing. Riot is definitely a curious little kitten and it is going to get her into trouble. I thought Spot did the right thing as well, looking out for the whole and all. Riot could definitely use a huggle right now. Maybe even a good glomping.

Elyse - No worries, I'm just glad you're still reading! I will definitely use your characters, thank you for the profiles of them. They will show up soon. Hamish is going to show up much more, he is a mysterious one for sure. I noticed in your character profile that Kate has her eye on someone from the docks? Can I make someone up? I love doing that, trying to match up one of my own originals with someone else's and seeing if the owner likes what I've done. If not that's cool too, I just thought I'd ask.

elleestJenn - Yay I'm on a roll with writing right now so hopefully I will continue to have steady updates. I am crossing my fingers that I will not hit the dreaded writer's block. But staying up too late at night seems to help get my writing juices flowin'. Thanks for the review and please keep reading!


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm Old Maggie," the woman said as she lead me up a flight of stairs and through a warren of hallways. Looking over her round shoulder, she cast me a look with a narrow eye.

"You can just call me Maggie," she said as we finally came to a stop in front of a weathered, dented door. Pulling a ring of keys out of her pocket, she unlocked it and handed me one with a gnarled, work-worn finger.

Shoving the door open with a foot clad in a worn boot, I followed her in. The room was tiny, and dark. There was a small window and a stained mattress in the corner. I looked at it with distaste but managed to hide my expression from

Maggie.

There was a sour smell to the room, and it was hot. Maggie flung open the window, and we were high up enough that a slight breeze entered the room and helped air it out. When I glanced back at Maggie, she was looking at me expectantly. I haggled over a price for a few minutes, but I was so depressed that I didn't do myself justice.

Before she left, the sharp-eyed old woman paused in the doorway and watched me. I had moved to the window and lit a cigarette, my shoulder's drooping.

"If you need anything lass, come find me. My room is downstairs right before the door to get outside. Also, stay away from Rebecca she'd like nothing more than to cut you if you mess with Declan." I felt the corner of my mouth turn up into a disheartened sneer.

"Luckily for her I don't want her precious Declan. But thank you, if I need anything I'll let you know." Satisfied, she pointed out a candle stub half-melted into a cracked porcelain dish on the floor and left.

I sat for what seemed like forever, smoking my cigarettes and drifting away in thought. But when I returned my attention to the present, the light had only marginally changed. I was hesitant to venture out into the streets to look for food, especially since Declan had taken my shillelagh. Pursing my lips, and feeling reckless, I stood up and tucking another cigarette into my mouth, tracked my way back through the hallways and outside.

Declan stood with two other men, his back to me as I stalked up. I tapped him on the shoulder and when he turned around, I glared at him.

"Give me back my shillelagh," I demanded as he smirked at me. Crossing his arms and exchanging amused glances with the other two, he cocked his head at me.

"And why should do that, lass?"

"Because it's mine!" I snapped irritably. Raising dark eyebrows he rubbed his chin and studied me silently. The other two men began egging him on, but he held up a hand and they shut up.

"What d'you need it for?"

"I need to go get food and I have nothing else on me to defend myself with" I huffed out. I thought I saw a corner of his mouth lift but he turned around and rummaging behind a crate, came up with my shillelagh.

"Fine," he said as he carelessly tossed it in my direction. Juggling it momentarily, I finally caught it and slid it through my belt loop reminding me painfully of Spot for a minute.

"Ah why'd you give it to her Declan? We coulda had some fun with her," I heard one of the other men say as I turned my back to them and began walking down the alley.

"Bah fighting with a little girl ain't any fun lads."

"Who said anything about fighting?" I felt my shoulder's stiffen as their raucous laughter rang out. Risking a look back, I saw Declan staring after me. I quickened my pace and concentrated on food. Five Points wasn't as bad as it had been twenty years ago, but I still didn't feel comfortable as I nipped an apple from a peddler's cart and hungrily devoured it.

Scratching my neck absently I wondered how Spot was and whether or not he missed me. My stomach demanded more food loudly and I went into a bakery and asked for any stale bread they had left over from the day before. The haggard woman behind the counter sold me two loves for a penny, and four rolls for another. I made my way back the way I came, gnawing on a roll.

People were milling about Rooster's Alley when I got back, and I stuck to the side of the building until I saw Maggie.

She sat with another older woman on the front stoop of her building, sewing and chatting. I offered her a roll, and she smiled at me shaking her head.

"No thank you dear, unless it's fresh. I can't chew like I used to."

The other woman introduced herself as Molly Fitzgerald and they scooted over so I could sit on one of the steps. Maggie hummed a tune as she wet the end of a piece of thread with her mouth and speared the tip of a needle with it.

"Where do I get water?"

"Oh I'll show you the pump before you go to bed. I have a pitcher you can use as well." I thanked Maggie and closed my eyes briefly. When it got darker and the two ladies couldn't see very well outside anymore, Maggie showed me where the pump was and I got some water in a cracked pitcher. Then I went upstairs and fell asleep wrapped in a thin blanket on the wooden floor. I wasn't too sure about that mattress and the floor didn't bother me.

I must have woken up sometime after one or two in the morning. The moon had come out and it cast a thin, silvery glow across the alleyway. I opened my window and lit a cigarette, exhaling a feathery stream of smoke out into the air.

Suddenly I felt a pressing need to go to the bathroom. Muttering in annoyance, I left my room and peering intently into the gloom ahead of me, made my way to the bathroom. I hovered, knowing that it was communal and hurried as fast as I could.

Hearing an odd noise from outside, I glanced down the hallway to see the main doorway was open. Forgetting the well known adage about 'curiosity killing the cat', I hesitantly inched my way to the door and glanced around. It was cooler outside and although the moon was lolling in the sky, there were plenty of shadows stretching across the alley.

The darkness had cooled the air some and I took a deep breath. A movement in the gloom caught my eye and I slowly turned my head. In the darkness of a shadow cast by a tenement building across the way, someone was bending over a large object.

Whoever it was, they were partially hidden by crates and other litter stacked against the side of the building. I strained my eyes trying to see what was going on, and when I heard a moan that cut off into a long deep sigh, I felt my face flame red. So THAT was what they were doing. How stupid of me! Preparing to go back inside, I averted my eyes but in doing so caught a flash of something shiny...and sharp.

The movements of the person that I had assumed was someone in the throes of passion were now jerky and almost violent. Swallowing hard, I winced for my throat had gone completely dry.

I plastered myself against the side of the building and prayed to a God that I hadn't bothered to talk to in a long time. Promising him my eternal devotion if I didn't end up being carved like a Thanksgiving turkey, I silently screamed in my head 'PLEASE DON'T LET HIM SEE ME! PLEASE DON'T LET HIM!' and felt my hands and feet turn to ice.

I couldn't move, I was frozen, trying to become one with the bricks that I was pressed against. My brain was flashing thoughts faster than the speed of light, most of them more disturbing than the next. Swallowing and wincing at the painfully dry sensation, I felt tears start to well up in the corners of my eyes.

Then one of the people stood up from behind the crates and the moonlight illuminated a pale face. I couldn't make out the features but I knew it was a male. The width of his shoulders and height were a dead giveaway. I heard myself whimper faintly as he wiped something off with a cloth, and then gathered up a bag that was stained at the bottom by something dark.

Then a hand clamped over my mouth and I tensed even more if that were possible. Another hand slid around my waist and slowly, painfully slowly dragged me in the opposite direction of the man clothed in dark brown or black, his long coat effectively hiding any distinguishing items of clothing or marks of body. He also wore a large hat that covered most of his upper face.

As my rescuer or kidnapper got me safely around the corner of the building, I glanced back one more time as I was whisked behind a wall and saw the tall, dark man's head whip around in my direction. My eyes widened and I heard a keening noise slide up my throat.

"Be quiet dammnit do you want him to kill us?" I recognized the voice, and didn't relax my posture. Declan, for that's who it was, leaned over me and peeked around the corner, his mouth a flat line, the muscles in his face and neck tense. Then he slumped slightly and pushed me against the wall.

"You are a damn stupid little girl!" I met his furious blue eyes and was instantly reminded of Spot. I felt pain stab through my chest, and I wanted to go curl up somewhere and have a good cry, but now was definitely not the time. Lifting and squaring my chin, I gave Declan a defiant look.

"Screw you, I'm eighteen! I'm practically ancient. Now get your friggen hands off of me!" Squirming I saw briefly the shock that registered in his eyes at my language before he dropped me.

"We need to get out of here. There's no telling if that monster will come back to see if someone saw what he did. Let's go little girl."

"Wait what?" But Declan had swallowed one of my hands up in his own dirty paw and was dragging me down the street in the opposite direction of the way the mysterious man had disappeared. It was still early in the morning, not even a trace of pearly grayish-rose was appearing on the horizon to announce dawn's arrival. Where on Earth would we be able to go?

"Let me go asshole, I'm not going anywhere with you, I don't even know you!" I tried using my other hand to pry away, but he just pulled me harder and faster, my feet tripping and stumbling over the street to keep up. Frantically I just held on, and prayed that this didn't end badly.

SHOUT OUTS

Elyse - Thank you that made me happy since I love to try to pair OC's with other people's OC's and see how they work. Sorry the last one was so short, and sorry that I love cliffies... :S Your character's will be in the next chapter.

CES5410 - Thank you so much! I do love writing cliffies...I am evil afterall.

Spot: You have no IDEA, CES. NO IDEA!

Riot: Back to the closet with you!

Ahem...anyway. Yeah Riot is going to be in the Points for a little bit but she'll eventually make her way back to Brooklyn. Maybe. ;D

xxWickedWench - Yes Riot finds herself in situations all the time. It's like they're magnets and she's a piece of metal. I base parts of her on myself and I'm constantly being dragged into things when I should have run in the other direction. I feel bad for Riot, but she does get into things blindly all on her own sometimes. :D


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N - Soooo sorry about the wait, I've had a horrible case of writer's block. I'm working on that, but I feel like everything I write is crap lately. I'll yank my head out of my bum soon enough! Also I don't own Kate, John, or Hanna Bishop. They are owned by Elyse. Spitfire is owned by Just Da Girl. - A/N**

Spot sat on the docks, perched on his throne of crates. A brisk wind ruffled the dirty blonde hair that poked out from underneath his cap. Action sat nearby, a cigarette smoldering in his hand, surreptitiously watching the other young man out of the corner of his eyes. Spot sighed and fishing a match out of his pocket, struck it with a fingernail and lit a cigarette himself. Inhaling deeply, he turned his head away from the smoke, eyes watering slightly when he didn't manage to avoid all of it completely.

The moon was out, and he really should have been in bed but since he had exiled Riot, he couldn't sleep. Spot was used to her warm body tucked up against him at night and the empty bed held no appeal to him.

"Boss you have to talk to her." Spot's icy blue eyes speared Action as he turned his head to glower down at him.

"I don't recall asking for your opinion," he spat. Action crossed his arms and met his gaze with a defiant look, his black hair hanging into his eyes. They didn't speak for a few moments and Spot's mouth pursed as he thoughtfully stared out over the river.

He was miserable without Riot and that alone served to piss him off mightily. He cared about the girl so much it scared the shit out of him. He refused to think that it was love, he had loved Cinder and admitted it, but for some reason he couldn't do so with Riot.

Flicking his cigarette into the water, he stood up. Jerking his head in a 'come on' gesture towards Action, the two boys clumped down the dock, Spot's cane making dull thuds on the wood.

"I'm going to have Ghost shadow her for awhile. I heard she's in the Points... that stupid girl." Action just nodded, and they made their way back to the lodging house to catch what sleep they could.

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Declan didn't stop pulling me roughly behind him until we were at least a block away from the gruesome scene we had witnessed. Yanking me one more time, I found myself entering a seedy looking pub. Some of the men called greetings to Declan and gave me leering looks, but Declan ignored them and ordered us glasses of whiskey. We gathered up our drinks and sat at a table in the corner.

"What the HELL Declan!," I sputtered angrily. Declan grimaced and drank half his whiskey in a large swallow. I saw his hands were shaking and I had to admit that I was freaked out as well.

"I'm sorry did you want to die?"

"No, but I barely know you!"

"I just saved your life you ungrateful little twit!," he all but roared. I dropped my eyes to where my knuckles were turning white as I gripped the dirty glass.

"I'm sorry... Thank you," I said meekly. Declan snorted and passed a hand over his weary face. We sat in an awkward silence until Declan cleared his throat gruffly.

"I don't want to go back now," he said quietly. I nodded in agreement. Whoever that maniac was, if he recognized us he would probably dispose of us so we wouldn't go to the police. 'Not that they would believe us' I thought disdainfully in my head.

"What are we going to do?" I asked Declan. He just shook his slowly and gave a huge sigh.

"I have a friend who lives not far from here. I think it's best that we stay with him tonight, or maybe a few days. We could throw that monster off the chase if thats his idea." I shuddered, my heart racing. I had literally just met Declan the day before and I didn't trust him one bit. But still, I found myself getting up when he did, and plodding along behind him down winding alleyways. Every noise made me jump and I surprised myself by clutching his suspenders in a tight grip.

Declan looked back at me once, his face unreadable in the dark.

We reached a tenement building, and went inside. I wrinkled my nose at the stale smells of urine and food. Climbing a set of stairs, we turned onto the first floor, and Declan went to the third door down the hall.

Pounding on the door, it didn't take long for it to rip open, a scowling man appearing in the entryway.

"What the fuck do you want? It's gotta be after twelve and I have to work on the docks at four in the morning!"

"Listen Tim, we need to stay somewhere beside the Roost for a few days. There's been a situation." Tim narrowed his brown eyes, but he stepped back and mockingly bowed. He lived in a tiny room that had clothes strewn about. It reeked of cigarette smoke, but at that point I was so exhausted that it didn't matter.

Tim tossed us some blankets and Declan and I curled up on the floor. I was asleep in minutes, nightmares crowding my dreams.

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Spot woke up in a daze. Rolling over, he slung his arm out searching for Riot. When he encountered an empty space, he punched the mattress and threw the blanket away from himself. Dressing hurriedly, he stomped out of his room and stalked to the Distribution Center. Pushing his way to the front of the line, he purchased a stack of papers.

"Spot, what's shaking?" Spot jerked his head to look over at the Bishop twins. Kate 'Beauty' and John 'Fish' Bishop stood to one side, shouldering stacks of papers. Spot was a little surprised to see them and swaggered over to where they stood.

Kate gave him a glare, and looked elsewhere. She was leery of men, the only one who could get close to her was John. They were twins and as close as family could get. Kate and John sometimes hung around the Brooklyn newsies but Kate did prostitution as a side business. She always met factory workers as they got out of their jobs, mostly on their paydays. She did steady work relieving them of their paychecks almost as fast as they received them.

Spot made sure he didn't look at her hand where she had lost her pinky and ring finger in a factory accident. She was a tough broad, with a scar on her chin from being slashed by a john.

John was the protecter of the family and he escorted his sisters everywhere. There was a younger sister named Hannah, who was only fourteen. She worked at a textile factory and was recovering from getting her hair stuck in one of the machines. It was a common occurrence, especially amongst the children workers.

His knuckles were swollen and he had a black eye. John occasionally boxed for extra money, but besides selling papers once in awhile he worked on the docks doing hard labour. The Brooklyn newsies called him Fish because he sometimes showed up with a fish or two from a catch.

"What's with the sour puss." John asked with a cheerful smile. Spot gave him a tight smile.

"Where's Riot?" Spot shot Kate a look, and she gave him a hard glower back. Riot had managed to weasel her way underneath Kate's sarcastic front and the two were friendly with each other.

"She's in exile right now. She's been stirring people up about the Point's murders and I can't have that." Kate gasped and scowled at Spot, her eyes wide.

"You KICKED her out of Brooklyn? What the HELL is wrong with you?" John put a hand on Kate's neck and gave her a stern look. Spot sighed and looked down at his shoes before sticking a cigarette into the corner of his mouth. Lighting it, he shrugged at the twins and just turned and walked away.

"Spot wait, she didn't mean it." Spot lifted a hand in response to John's voice. Both twins liked hanging around the older newsies and had formed an alliance to guarantee for protection if needed. Kate's other profession was often dangerous and although John did his best to protect her, sometimes her rougher customers needed retribution.

Spot reached his normal corner and had started to sell his papers when he felt the presence of someone standing beside him. Whipping his head around, he relaxed when saw that it was Ghost. The lanky, pale haired boy stood silently by waiting for Spot to speak.

"So? Did you find her?" Ghost nodded, but he looked uneasy.

"She's staying at a tenement house in Bandit's Roost. She wasn't there this morning though. I don't think she even slept there last night. Someone saw her at the Broken Harp, with a rough looking man. Said she looked like she had seen a ghost."

Spot felt his chest constrict painfully. Bandit's Roost was a bad neighborhood. There were gangsters that used some of the buildings as safe houses.

"This isn't good Spot, she needs to come home. There was another girl killed last night, she was cut up real bad. They found her body in Bandit's Roost too." Spot let out a sharp breath and put a hand to his forehead. Swiping it over his face, he nodded slowly.

"Let's go get her."

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When I woke up I was still tired, and could feel a hard knot of anxiety in my stomach. I didn't know where I was at first, but when I heard soft snoring, I recognized the form of Declan sleeping next to me.

Standing up, I folded the blanket I had wrapped myself up in and stretched, trying to work out the kinks in my back from sleeping on a floor. Then I finger combed my hair and slunk quietly towards the door.

"Where are ya going?" Declan was sitting up, rubbing a hand through his hair sleepily. I stopped, my shoulder's slumping. Turning around, I regarded the young man warily.

"I'm going to Manhattan. I can't stay here, it's too dangerous." I was taken aback to see a flash of disappoint in Declan's eyes and I cleared my throat awkwardly. Declan rose and tossed his blanket into a corner of the room.

"I'll take you there" he said finally.

"You don't have to, I'll be fine." He shook his head sharply and gave me a scowl. Sighing, I abandoned the notion of arguing with him. We left Tim's apartment and set out for Manhattan. Declan swiped some apples from a stand and we ate the tartly sweet fruit as we walked.

It took us awhile, but we finally reached Manhattan and stopped. Declan stared at me, and I wriggled under his solemn gaze.

"Thank you for saving me last night," I finally managed to say. Declan's mouth quirked up into a slight smile and then he bent forward and kissed me. I was so shocked that I froze, and couldn't move. Pulling away, he touched my cheek and then silently walked away.

In a daze, I wandered the streets of Manhattan, not knowing exactly where I was going. Rounding a corner, I happened to run into Angel, who was busy colliding with a man and swiping things from his coat as she straightened his clothes and apologized with a sweet smile. The man gave her a sharp look, but continued on his way. Angel quickly made her escape, walking towards me. Looking up, her face registered guilt and surprise at seeing me.

"Riot! You're okay! Oh man Spot is going absolutely batty because he heard you were in the Points. What ever possessed you to go THERE?" I shrugged absently.

"You look like shit," Angel said stoutly as she examined my face. I raised an eyebrow and gave her a cool look. Together we walked down the street and Angel told me how Spot was searching for me.

I felt a twist in my stomach and shook my head slowly. We didn't speak for awhile and it wasn't long before I found myself at the Duane Street Lodging house. Most of the newsies were out, selling papers. I reached into my pocket and jingled the meager stash of coins that I possessed.

As we walked up to the door, it opened suddenly and the last person I wanted to confront walked out.

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Spot came to a halt when he saw Riot standing in front of him. She was pale, and her black hair emphasized the purple smudges underneath her gray eyes. His heart lurched but he just crossed his arms and gazed steadily at her.

Riot pursed her lips and then took a few more steps until she stood closer. Spot's jaw muscles clenched as he struggled to not embrace her. She looked lost, and haggard.

"You don't look so good," he finally said. Riot gave him a strained smile.

"I haven't exactly been staying in the lap of luxury." Spot looked away, guilt flooding his body.

"Come home," he said softly. Riot looked up at him, squaring her jaw stubbornly.

"Why? You kicked me out, why do want me back?"

"Because I care about you dumb broad! I don't want you staying where women are getting sliced to bits! Come home, or else I'll drag you back."

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Anger flared in me, and I clenched my hands into fists. Really! This boy was insufferable! Grinding my teeth, I looked down at the ground. Angel had wisely escaped into the lodging house, and there was no one outside except me and Spot.

"I miss you Riot...I need you around. I made a stupid mistake and I'm sorry." Spot's voice wasn't particularly tender, but he seemed sincere.

"Fine Spot. We'll give it a trial run and see how things go. I don't know if I can..." I let my statement die, not wanting to finish it by saying I had lost some trust in him. Spot's face relaxed but he didn't appear to like the idea of a 'trial run'.

When we reached Brooklyn, I was greeted with smiles and some hugs from the girls. The Bishop twins were still around, and Kate gave me a fleeting grin. Hannah was with them, and I smiled at her.

Nighttime came quickly and we had two more guests join us for a poker game. I sat on one of the boys' cots in their room as a large table was surrounded. The two newcomers were a girl of medium height with long, wavy hair that she wore in a braid. I shivered when I saw her cut off green trousers that fell to her knees, for it was steadily getting colder out. Her boyfriend, Wraps stood next to her, an arm around her lean waist. He was a tall, well built young man of eighteen, a year older than Spitfire, the girl with him. His short, dark hair was mussed and stuck up in places as if he had just gotten out of bed, but it suited him.

When she poked him jokingly in the side, his blue eyes grinned down into her green-blue ones. Spitfire had a fiery personality, hence her nickname. They were an odd pairing, for Wraps was quiet and mostly just watched the people and his surroundings. He was close with Spot, and was his other second in command. They lived in a building close to the lodging house and popped in once in awhile.

Things seemed to be normal, although I was reserved and didn't talk much. Hugging my knees to my chest, I followed Spot's movements as he talked and laughed with his friends. His arrogant smirk was back and I heard one of his boys remark that it was good to see him in a better mood. His blue eyes shot over to mine, and bored into me. Then he smiled slowly at the boy and just nodded.

A thumping in the hallway caught most of our attention, and we turned to the doorway as Stork burst in, his gangly frame covered in a sheen of sweat. His eyes were wild and his face pale.

Someone quickly got him a glass of water, which he slugged down, his shoulders and chest heaving with the effort to breathe. He must have run all the way here from his watch post.

"He got Shorty," Stork gasped brokenly. Spot came over and gripped the other boy's shoulders tightly.

"What do you mean he got Shorty? Who did?" Shorty McGrail was an on and off again newsie who was as small in stature as I was. She was a cheerful girl despite being an orphan and always had a gap toothed smile for all of us. My heart gave a painful squeeze and I put a hand to my chest.

"The Ripper... The Ripper got Shorty. I found her not far from here. Oh God Spot it's awful. What are we going to do?" The room was silent and I felt tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. The awful prediction I had given days ago had come true. The Ripper was going after us now, and none of us were safe.

SHOUT OUTS!

Just Da Girl - Thank you for your review and your CC's! I hope I did okay with them, I will elaborate more as the story goes on.

Elyse - No, Declan is definitely not there to hurt Riot. I'm glad you liked the Points, and I like Old Maggie too. She is based on some great older women that I know. Thank you for the review and I hope your OC was okay! Let me know if I need to make any changes.

NewsieGoil09 - Thanks for the review, I hope you keep reading! :)

- Thanks for your review Jodi! I'm trying really hard to make this story work, thanks for your kind words.

xxWickedWench - *Falls over from the nudges* Sorry it took me so long. I really like the idea of Five Points too, that place intrigues me. I love cliffies, I am definitely an evil person. Riot wasn't exactly in really bad place, in the Points but she also was far from safe! She will most likely visit some rather nasty places in the future.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - Well, this has taken somewhat of a hiatus. Not intentionally though. I started writing a Hellsing story and I got sidetracked. *sheepish grin* Sorry to anyone who would still read this. Hopefully some of you are still around! - A/N**

Someone handed Stork a drink, and he gulped it down, his prominent adams apple jumping in his throat. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, Stork looked at the floor, his brown eyes wide with disbelief, face pale. Nobody spoke. We were all stunned, and it showed on everyone's faces.

Some of the younger kids huddled close to the older ones, who hastened to reassure them, but in all honesty who knew what was going to happen? Shorty hadn't dabbled in prostitution for extra money, so nobody understood why the maniac would have targeted her.

Hushed whispers filled the room finally, and furtive glances were cast in Spot's direction. Everyone wanted to know what he was going to do. Spot looked shell-shocked, his blue eyes clouded, a hand stroking his chin. I had never seen him so out of sorts and it scared me.

Going up to him, I slipped a hand into his and felt a little relieved when he squeezed my fingers. Then he broke away and went to Stork, patting his shoulder, and leaning over to talk to him quietly. Stork started nodding, and he got up and began to put a bundle of clothes and other belongings together.

"What is he doing?" I asked, and Spot looked over at me.

"He's going to stay with family for awhile. He needs to get over what he saw, apparently the guy ripped Shorty to shreds." I swallowed a lump in my throat, and put a hand over my abdomen. The rough cloth underneath my hand was a familiar texture and it made me feel better. Stork left after shaking Spot's hand and promising that he would be back.

Spot turned to the group of newsies and took a deep breath. Then he stood on a chair, pushing his dirty blonde hair out of his face.

"Everyone is going to sell with partners from now on. This guy seems to only come out at night, but you never know. There's also going to be a curfew for the girls," a chorus of half-hearted groans rang out, but with a stern glare cast from Spot, they died down.

"Like I was saying, a curfew for the girls. You're to be in at dusk, before it gets completely dark. It's summer so the days are longer, hopefully this crazy jerk will be caught by winter. Carry weapons too, even you little guys. Speaking of the little guys, every pair is going to get one or two of them. I don't want them alone. Is that clear?"

There were nods, and some 'yea's' as Spot leapt off the chair.

The room was quieter than normal, and I heard some of the girls talking about how they were going to gather money for a coffin. I started to walk away, not wanting to listen to that kind of talk, when I felt someone grab my shoulder. Turning around, I came face to face with Spot, his eyes boring into my own.

"We need to talk, let's go." I let him lead me to his room, dread pooling in the bottom of my stomach. I hated how he made my insides do weird things. I had never had a boyfriend like him. He could be so rough and controlling, and then turn around and say sweet things that made me want to get googly-eyed like an anime character. Shaking my head ruefully, I walked into his room and sat on the chair by his desk when he motioned to it.

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Spot lit his gas lamp and rested it on his desk. The flickering light played over Riot giving her face and gray eyes an orange tint. He sat down on his mattress, although he would have preferred to stand in this situation. Resting his elbows on his knees, he dangled his hands in-between his legs and stared at Riot.

She squirmed under his gaze, then began picking at a loose thread on her cuff. She looked tired and dirty. A smudge adorned one cheekbone, and her hair was flat underneath her cap.

"Well this is awkward," she finally said, offering him a half-grin. 'That's what she always does', he thought. She always used humor to try to defuse tense situations. Sighing, Spot reached into his pocket and brought out a packet of cigarettes that had seen better days and lit two. Holding one out to her, he gave an inward smile when she took it with

a grateful look.

"So what exactly does a 'trial run' mean?" Spot finally said as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. Riot stood up and went to the window next to his desk and opened it. Ever since that last illness her lungs were a little sensitive.

Spot frowned when he saw how thin she was getting. He had seen her hand off food to some of the littler kids who weren't adept at snatching things from food carts. He would have to put a stop to it.

"Are we still together or what?" Riot sat heavily in her chair and eyed him warily. Then she took a drag of her cigarette and tucked a lock of black hair behind her ear.

"Stop messing about and tell me!" Spot felt himself growing angry, and he stood up and took a deep breath. Riot looked taken aback, and she ducked her head.

"Did you know that you get an accent when you get pissed off? Where does that come from? It sounds Irish."

"RIOT!"

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I winced at Spot's shout and began twiddling my fingers nervously as he stalked towards me and grabbed my shoulders. Shaking me slightly, he seemed to time it with each of his words.

"Are we together? Or have you been fucking with me?" I threw him off and shot up, standing nose to nose with him, for he had bent his head to get close to me.

"Are you accusing me of not caring this whole friggen time we've been together? A year Spot! An entire year! You think I would pretend for a whole...god-damned...year?" I poked his chest to emphasize my last three words. I could tell he didn't like because his mouth thinned out into a line and he grabbed my hand, almost twisting my fingers as he threw it away from him.

We were both breathing pretty hard, hands clenched in anger as we faced each other. I was in shock that he was accusing me of this crap.

"Where the hell is this all coming from?"

"Ghost saw you at a bar with a man. Who was he?" My mouth dropped open and I stared at him. Ghost had seen me with Declan? Spot had been watching me the whole time I was in the Points?

"His name is Declan Moody, and he saved me from the Ripper." Spot's eyes widened, a testament to how surprised he was.

"What do you mean?" I told him what happened, and at the end he was still in front of me, but his face was turned away and his breathing had settled. Of course I didn't tell him about the kiss, he didn't need to know about that.

"What about when he kissed you?" Well shit. My anger erupted and I shoved Spot away from me with all my strength. He stumbled back a few inches, but was immediately back in my face.

"HE kissed ME," I hissed angrily. I was so mad I couldn't see straight. Spot's eyes had grown frigid and his stature was tense, his muscles tightened and coiled for action. I had no doubt that if I was a boy he would have beaten the shit out of me.

I could see the struggle for control, and I'm afraid that I reacted the way that I usually did when I was in a fight. I provoked him.

"Go on, hit me. I know you want to, go ahead." Spot's eyes flared and I saw his hand draw back, the fingers straightened to deliver a slap. But then he dropped it and walked away until he stood before the window. Lifting his arms, he braced them on either side of him, on the window frame.

"Get out," he grated suddenly in a rough voice. I blinked and looked at his back, stupidly.

"Get...out," he repeated. I turned and headed for the door, my legs stiff and head whirling.

"Are you kicking me out of Brooklyn again?"

"No, I just can't look at you right now, I'm too angry. But this WILL be finished." His voice was still rough, but had gentled just a tad. He looked over his shoulder as I grasped the doorknob and glanced back. His eyes held regret and confusion, but were mostly overrun by anger. I was furious too, and I just nodded at him and left. I shut the door behind me gently, and headed to the girl's room.

Some of the girls were still awake, but I ignored them as I lay down on an unoccupied cot. I didn't bother to undress, I just kicked my boots off and threw my hat down on them. Taking the scratchy, wool blanket that had been folded at the end of the bed, I drew it over my shoulders and part of my head. The tears came, but they were silent and hot as they rolled over my nose and cheeks.

The hushed silence that had gone over the room when I walked in dissipated and I knew that they had at least heard the loud volume of our voices. I knew Spot could be a jealous guy, but this was ridiculous. I hadn't even wanted to be with Declan, he had dragged me away. I also couldn't control what he did. He had caught me off guard with the kiss, and it had only lasted for a few seconds.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried really hard to go to sleep. Eventually it worked because I drifted off into fitful sleep.

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Spot gazed out into the darkness and watched some people through their windows across the way in the next tenement. Gripping the unfinished wood that made up the window frame, he clenched his jaw and ground his teeth.

He couldn't believe that he had almost hit Riot. But when she had stood there, the challenge spat from her lips, eyes slightly mocking, he had wanted to do it. Just to prove how stupid she was for saying something like that, he had been close to obliging her.

Turning from the window, he rubbed an ink stained hand over his face and heaved out a deep breath. It had been a long day, and finding out about Shorty hadn't helped. Sitting down at his desk, he pulled out a deck of cards and tried to play Solitaire, anything to calm him down.

It didn't work, and he threw the cards in his hand onto his desk with a frustrated growl. Running a hand through his hair, he started suddenly when someone knocked on his door. Fighting with Riot had fucked with his nerves and that was something else to irritate him. Standing, he went to the door and ripped it open.

Action stood there, his fist raised, a questioning look in his eyes. Tips, Rooster, and a young man named Paddy stood behind him.

"C'mon Boss. We're going out to Sweeny's and we think you should go with us." Spot raised an eyebrow. Sweeny's was a dive, frequented by prostitutes, sailors, and other dock folk. Then he looked back into his empty room and shrugged.

"Sure why not?"

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I was awakened sometime in the early morning hours by male laughter and the sound of booted feet clumsily trying to maneuver the stairs. Getting up, I went to the doorway and opened it as Action, Tips, Rooster, Paddy, and Spot came into view. Spot was leaning on his cane, his face flushed, a crooked smile on his face. Rooster and Tips were holding Paddy up between them, and Paddy looked like he was going to be ill.

"You're all drunk!" I softly snapped. Action gave me a shrug and they all paused in the hallway. They stank of alcohol, cigar smoke, and bad perfume. I wrinkled my nose.

"You smell like a French whorehouse," I accused. Spot cocked his head.

"Nah, Sweeny's is supposed to be an English joint." The other young men snorted with laughter and headed towards the other bunk-room. I pursed my lips and raised my eyebrows at Spot.

"So?" I crossed my arms over my chest. Spot used the opposite wall to hold himself up and mimicked my stance.

"So what? You told me that we were on a break or some other shit like that."

"No, thats not what I said. I said we were on a trial run." Spot grunted and rubbed his eyes tiredly with a hand.

"Yeah and you never explained that either."

"It means that we're together but I'm deciding what to do based on your behavior."

"Oh MY behavior!" Spot waved his hands in the air, and his face turned redder, this time not from the drink.

"So your behavior doesn't count then?"

"You're the one who kicked me out," I said softly, grimacing down at my worn cuffs. Darting a glance up at Spot, I saw him watching me thoughtfully.

"You just don't fucking get it, do you?" He spun on one heel and began walking down the hallway. I heard him mutter a low 'Christ' before he disappeared into his room. Feeling tears beginning to gather at the corners of my eyes, I dashed them away with a shaking hand, and went back into the girl's room. Screw that arrogant bastard.

**SHOUT OUTS!**

**NewsieGoil09** - Sorry it took so long! Here ya go :)

**Elyse** - I hope you liked your OC's, and you just might see more of Maggie and Declan. You never know ;D I went back and changed the Brooklyn-Manhattan thing, so I hope its better now.

**xxWickedWench** - *laughs at the flailing* I will never get sick of the gushing! Hopefully you will still read this and continue to gush!

Riot : Aww thanks for the snuggles *blush*

Spot : Oi, where are mine! *glare*

Yeah I don't know why I decided to give Spot's POV but I am. I'm glad you like my Spot! I think he should be complicated, he lives a complicated life. Plus it's always hard to write a believable Spot AND an OC. Thanks for supporting Riot! And those two will always be fighting no matter what, that's how they roll ;P

**Just da Girl** -

Shorty unfortunately got ripped to bits. I hope you liked Spitfire and Wraps! Let me know if I didn't do them justice, and no worries they will show up again.

**CES5410** - Declan is definitely more than just a scumbag, but he has his scummy moments. Shorty is another victim. I'm glad Riot's back in Brooklyn too, but all will not be well for her there. Don't worry, Declan will be back.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N - Soooo yeah, really sorry about the confusion. Here ya go! Uhmm...I have cookies? I do not own Spitfire, or Wraps, they are owned by Just da Girl. I also don't own the Bishop's they are owned by Elyse. -A/N

The next day plain old sucked. Spot avoided me on the walk to the Distribution Center, he ignored me as we walked to our selling spots which were relatively close to each other. He ignored me at lunch down at the docks, and when I came in that night, he shut himself in his room and actually locked the door. I sat on my cot in the girl's room, idly flicking cards at my scally cap on the other end of the rickety bed, trying to get them inside.

It was growing dark in the room, and there wasn't anyone else in there with me surprisingly. I laid back and closed my eyes, stretching my arms over my head and crossing them. Right before I drifted off to sleep, I heard a light step into the room and my eyes snapped open.

"Hi Kate, how's it going?" The other girl shrugged and sat down on my cot, making it creak ominously. I wasn't sure it could handle the two of us, even as light as we were so I stood up.

"Same old, same old. Not to well actually. The men are beginning to get leery of prostitutes what with that man killing them and all." I felt a chill trail icy fingers down my spine and I gave Kate an intense look.

"BE CAREFUL! You should sell papers for awhile." Kate's face lit up when she laughed. I didn't even mind that she was laughing at me, it was seldom that anyone saw her do it unless she was at home with her family.

"Oh Riot, I wish I could. But we barely stretch our money as it is, and selling papers would have me making less money. I just can't afford it." We sat in silence for a few moments and then Kate shook herself out of her thoughts.

"I came here to invite you to a party of sorts." I was shocked. I couldn't believe that she would even consider going to a gathering of a large number of people. When I said as much, she fingered the scar on her chin with her hand, showing off her missing fingers. I didn't even glance at them, I was used to them by now.

"Well, y'see...there's this boy who works down there, I met him selling papers a while ago and he said he's getting together with some of his friends from work and I should come and bring some friends." She spoke it all in a big rush. I felt the warning alarm in my head go off.

"Hmm. That sounds like fun, but it also sounds like they want girls there for a reason." I put emphasis on the 'reason' and Kate waved her hands furiously.

"No, no, I swear he's not like that. I run into him just about every day it seems like. He's a hard-working man. I know it sounds bad, but it'll be fun. Please? I need someone to come with me." Rolling my eyes, I said 'fine' and schlepped off into the washroom and tried to make myself presentable. I didn't feel like being presentable, but I knew Kate really wanted to go, and the fact that she asked me to go for her was important.

We walked downstairs together and when I saw Spot standing in the lobby talking to Spitfire and Wraps, I turned my nose up and ignored him as we went by.

"Where d'you think you're going? There's a curfew here now." Spot's quiet words stopped us in our tracks. Slowly I turned around and looked into his annoyed blue eyes.

"Kate and I are going out for a bit tonight, we'll be back." I spoke calmly and evenly, not wanting to get into an argument.

I saw Wraps frown. He was a loyal Spot supporter, had been forever. Even though he and Spitfire didn't live at the lodging house, he was always there when Spot needed him. Even now, his hands were wrapped with white bandages in case there was a rumble. He looked like a giant standing next to Spot, since he was at least 6"2.

"Is this because of last night?"

"No she," I cut my eyes towards Kate "asked me to go to a gathering and I wanted to go with her." I saw Spot struggling a little bit. He genuinely liked the Bishop's and he knew that Kate had a hard time trusting people.

"Fine," he snapped. "You have three hours. If you're not back by then I'm sending people out. Now where is this place?" Spot's mouth tightened further when Kate mentioned the name of a bar near the docks. But he didn't stop us, so it couldn't be TOO bad of a place. Before we walked out the door, he caught up to us.

"Be careful," he growled menacingly at both of us. Then he came close to me and turned me slightly to make sure I had my shillelagh. Then he leaned forward close to me.

"If you die I will fucking kill you," he said low and rough into my ear. I shivered and tried to hide it from the feeling of his breath on me. I must have failed because when he drew back he was smirking slightly.

"Don't worry about us," I shot back as I grabbed Kate's arm and dragged us outside. I was unsettled by my immediate reaction to Spot. I had never felt the way I did for someone like I did for that damn hooligan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kate and I didn't talk at first as we started making our way to the bar, a place called 'The Fisherman's Wife'. Then I began poking at Kate, wondering where this sudden courage was coming from. I knew she really had no use for men besides taking their money. In her opinion they all left sooner or later, so why bother? John, her brother, was the only male she put any faith in. Kate tucked a strand of hair behind an ear and sighed.

"I really don't know, Riot. I've noticed this boy, Ian, for awhile now. He seems nice, not like the usual ones. I really wanted someone to come with me because I'm afraid...John wanted to, but he has to watch Hannah. We don't like her being alone where we live."

I nodded, understanding. The Bishop's actually lived in the neighborhood of the bar we were going to. It was a rough little area and from what I'd heard Hannah was more trusting then her other two siblings.

Kate began fingering the scar on her chin and I frowned, knowing that it meant she had something else to say. Patiently I lit a cigarette and exhaled slowly. It was a nice night, not too cool, not too hot. The stars were out and you could see the Brooklyn Bridge from where we were headed.

"Uhm Riot, there really isn't a party or anything. I just know that he drinks here after work sometimes and I wanted to run into him. I come here with John but like I said..."

"He couldn't come with you tonight" I finished for her with a slight smile. Kate smiled hesitantly at me in return.

"It's okay, I don't mind. I needed to get out of that damn lodging house anyways."

"Are you and Spot fighting?" I pursed my lips and slowed down my sauntering step as we reached our destination. It was a little hole in the wall place, that wasn't brightly lit. As we entered, the portly, white haired man behind the bar called out Kate's name with a smile and a wave. Most of the patrons looked up and then looked away, but some offered greetings to Kate. It was your standard working class watering hole, and I liked it.

We got ourselves a seat at a table in the back. Kate sat with her back against the wall, facing the door. I opted to put my back to the door although I really shouldn't have. It just wasn't smart. A middle-aged woman came over wearing a stained apron and holding a tray. Her green eyes were a washed out, pale color, but her smile was bright albeit missing a few teeth. Pulling a pencil out from the brown hair piled onto her head in a messy bun, she licked the tip and waited, holding it over a small pad of paper.

"Just two of the cheapest beers, Molly." Molly nodded and patted Kate's hand with another wrinkled smile. Kate watched her walk away and then leaned close to me.

"She's mute, has been since birth. But watch out because she can hear everything!" As if to prove Kate's point, Molly turned around almost fully across the room and winked at us.

"Yikes!" I deadpanned, and hastily turned back to face Kate. Kate hid a smile underneath a hand. Then I saw her eyes brighten, although the rest of her face remained emotionless.

"Ah the lad must be here," I said and made as if to turn around but Kate stopped me with a hasty "No, DON'T" and laughing, I remained in my seat the way I was. Kate's face was flushed and she took a hasty sip of the brew Molly brought us. I buried my own face into mine, still a little upset about Spot. I KNEW that we needed to be careful, but I also knew that I was getting unsettled with how possessive he could be. He really was a sweet guy deep down, but there were definitely some issues that needed to be addressed. Sighing, I didn't even notice when Molly came and removed my glass and replaced it with another. Seriously she was one great waitress.

Noticing my glum face, she jotted something onto her notepad and held it out for me to read. 'Got man troubles?' I laughed slightly and looked up at her.

"Do I really look that bad?"

'You look like you just saw someone kick a puppy' I snorted with laughter, and when I caught Molly's eye again, I saw that they were warm and smiling. She patted my shoulder.

'You're too young to be looking so sad over a man. Cheer up!' I nodded dutifully and raised my fresh pint of beer in a salute as she walked away. Kate looked curious, but I noticed that she had shut down. She sat completely silent, nervously tucking a lock of her brown hair behind her ear, her brown eyes staring down at the table. They had gone hard, all the laughter that had surprised me earlier not showing anymore. The reason for that became quite apparent rather quickly.

"Kate! Kate Bishop, it IS you. How nice to see you." I looked up into the earnest face of a tall young man, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He smelled faintly of fish, but I figured that was a hazard of working at the docks. His smile was genuine and warm, especially when he focused it on Kate. He wore a dark green shirt, rolled up at the sleeves, with a pair of charcoal gray trousers.

"Hi Ian. Riot, this is Ian Stewart. Ian, Riot." Kate spoke in a slightly cold tone and I raised my eyebrows as I shook hands with Ian. He sat down with us and Molly was soon plunking another beer down in front of Ian. Silence reigned around the table for a few minutes.

"Sooo...Riot can't be the name you were born with. At least, I hope your parents didn't hate you THAT much." I grinned at Ian and shook my head.

"Naw I sell newspapers." That settled it, he apparently knew of the custom of newsies taking nicknames to retain anonymity. Most were runaways and orphans, who didn't want to be stuck in an institution or orphanage.

Ian glanced over at Kate, and caught her looking at him too. Both of them flushed, and I almost stood up to leave, but Kate shot me a pleading look. Ian and I talked about nothing for a while, and then he looked at Kate.

"I was happy to see you in here, you didn't seem like you were interested in coming here tonight when I talked to you earlier." Kate shrugged and I sighed inwardly. She had been so excited and now that Ian was here, she had returned to her normal reticent attitude that she had when dealing with men. A loud spat of Spanish caused all of us to look over where a lean, tan girl of medium height was pulling on the arm of a tall young man with messy, short, dark brown hair. He had a man held up in the air, and the girl was yanking on him, trying to get him to put the other man down. I recognized them and my eyes narrowed.

"I'll be right back," I half snarled, ignoring any looks Kate may have cast in my direction as I shouldered and shoved my way through the crowded, smoky, boisterous room. Planting my hands on my fists, I glared at Spitfire and Wraps.

"What the HELL are you two doing here?" Wraps looked down at me and then back to the roughly dressed man he had by the front of his shirt.

"What does it look like Riot, I'm starting a fight."

"Oh no, no sarcasm and distractions right now."

"Hey don't you tell my man what to do!" Spitfire moved into my field of vision, arms crossed underneath her breasts, her light-greenish blue eyes darkening to a stormy sea color.

"Save it!" I snapped angrily. She looked taken aback for about twenty seconds before she took a step forward, and set loose such a torrent of Spanish, that I knew it wasn't complimentary.

"Why are you guys here? Did HE send you?" Wraps let the man go with a face full of regret. The man scurried off with a look on his face like had faced an executioner's squad and all the rifles had jammed.

"We can go to a bar in the neighborhood without having a hidden agenda." Wraps' words were quiet, and mild, but they made me shut up. Glowering, I just stood there, not knowing what to say. Inside I was relieved that they had come, so that I wouldn't have to walk back to the lodging house alone, in the dark. But on the other hand, Spot had sent them to babysit me and it made me furious.

"Listen, you aren't the only thing in the whole world, okay?" I glanced at the bristling Spitfire, and held up my hands in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry. You're right, I'm being an asshole."

"At least you admit it, chica" I felt one of my eyes begin to twitch at Spitfire's heated words. Wraps placed one of his bandaged hands on her shoulder, and gave her a fond smile, that was quickly replaced with a stern look.

"We still have to talk about why you let that man pull you into his lap." Spitfire's body went rigid, especially her back. Jaw clenching, she gave Wraps a sidelong glare from the corner of one of her eyes. Whipping the chocolate colored braid she had over one shoulder, Spitfire finally gave him a sweet smile.

"I'm mad at you, you know I didn't want to come here." Wraps regarded her without saying anything, then tilted his head.

"So again you flirt with other men. This could have gotten very, very, VERY ugly if Riot hadn't shown up. What the hell do I ..." I stopped listening to their argument and listlessly stared at the floor. What do I do about Spot? I kept asking myself over and over. I could leave if I wanted to, but I just got back and I really didn't feel like leaving again. Just as I was about to contemplate where I would like to live, a hand fell on my arm. I turned my head and froze.

"Riot. Fancy meeting you here."

"Declan what the hell are you doing here?"

A/N - Quick note, I was writing this as I was falling asleep, so there might be errors in here. If you notice them please point them out. Except for Grammar!

than.

SHOUT OUTS

elleestJenn - Thanks for alerting me to the fact that I had loaded the wrong chapter here. Now I present a real one.

Elyse - Hope you liked the way I wrote Kate. I sort of played around with her character so if you don't like it let me know.

Just da Girl - You'll have to wait and see! ;P But I don't think they'll stay mad long. :)

xxWickedWench - I don't do waiting either. I'm impatient except when it comes to writing or drawing. Yeah Spot is a jerk for almost hitting her, but I don't think he would ever lay hands on her in anger. Riot is definitely an idiot sometimes, and stuff just pops out of her mouth in situations where she should have kept it shut! Yes, Spot is Irish. A lot of Brooklyn was Irish back then, and well Conlon is an Irish last name ;D


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N - Sorry about the filler, I'm working in the trouble with Spot and Riot more than I should be, but it's do darn fun! Plus I mean, there always has to be more trouble in my stories than the characters can deal with. I'm a mean writer I am. But this is a mystery as well as romance so if there isn't a lot going on it's too easy to figure out right? Well, I hope people are reading this, reviews make my day thanks! - A/N**

**PS - I don't own Wraps or Spitfire they are owned by Just da Girl. Kate and the other Bishops are owned by Elyse. Any other characters not from the movie Newsies owned by Disney are owned by me.**

"Declan, what the HELL are you doing here?" I stared at the young man who was currently smirking at me. He was actually cleaner, and not wearing his bowler hat. He had bronze colored hair cut rather short. In the light of the pub his eyes were a dark blue, almost cobalt. They were darker than Spot's but no less striking. He wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up a little past his elbows with a faded blue, long-sleeved shirt underneath. His pants were black and he had black suspenders on.

"I'm not allowed to go to other parts of the City? Tsk, tsk, girl."

"My name's Riot." Declan frowned at me and crossed his arms over his chest. I mirrored his stance, my eyes narrowed.

"That's not your real name, what's your real name?"

"That's good enough." Declan twisted his mouth and raised his eyebrows in a 'Oh really?' look.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that Wraps and Spitfire had stopped arguing and were watching me closely. Flushing in anger and frustration, I grabbed Declan's sleeve and pulled him back to the table where I was sitting with Kate and Ian. To my delight, Kate was freely conversing with Ian now, although she kept nervously tucking a strand of her brown hair behind an ear.

I briefly introduced Declan to them and then stared across the pitted and scarred table at Declan. He just gave me an innocent look back that I didn't trust.

"What are the odds of you showing up in the same borough, same neighborhood, same bar on the same night that I do?"

"Pretty good apparently," Declan said as he signaled a waitress to bring him a drink. Then he leaned forward in his chair, resting his forearms on the table, clasping his hands together loosely. I saw a tattoo on his left arm as the sleeve of his under-shirt rode up. It was a dagger, with a shamrock on the hilt. Underneath it were the words 'Saor Éire Deo'. I assumed it was Gaelic and the only word I knew was 'Éire' which meant 'Ireland'.

"What does your tattoo mean?" I asked as I tapped it idly with a finger. The muscles in his arm bunched as he brought his other hand up and drew his sleeve over it to cover the inked skin.

"Nothing, don't worry about it. So out on the town tonight then?" I frowned at him once more. A waitress came and deposited a glass of ale before him and he caught it up and drank deeply. I drank some of my own, and caught the woman's sleeve as she brushed by to ask for another. Declan gave me an amused look as I turned back to him once more.

"What?" I snapped irritably at him. Smirking, he brought up his hand and brushed his thumb across my upper lip. I pulled away from him, my face flushing. I was angry at the response my body showed, face turning red and butterflies suddenly erupting in my stomach.

Declan showed me the tip of his thumb, which was white with foam from the ale. Hastily I wiped my sleeve over my mouth and scowled at him.

"That doesn't answer my question. Why the Hell are you here? Don't be cute, Declan. This is ridiculous." Finally Declan began to show some temper as he raked a hand through his coppery hair and crossed his arms over his large chest. Really, it was strange for someone as short as him to be so heavily built. It wasn't fat either, it was muscle from what I could tell. He looked like a blacksmith.

"Maybe I wanted to see you again?" He said with a quirky smile, his dark blue eyes boring into mine. I snorted and took the last sip of my ale, pulling a face as I reached the dregs of the glass.

"Try again boyo."

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"I knew you for a day and a half. You stole my shillelagh and then we ran away from a deranged killer. That doesn't inspire me to want you to seek me out again. Besides, I'm seeing someone."

"Oh?" One of Declan's eyebrows rose in a questioning gesture. I nodded and smiled briefly at the waitress who gave me another drink. Hiding most of my face in the glass, I busied myself with sucking some of it down.

"Who is this man then?"

"Spot Conlon. Ever heard of him?" It could have been a trick of the light, but I swear that I saw Declan's lips thin and the knuckles on the hand grasping his glass of ale whiten as he tightened his fist.

"No can't say that I have."

"He's the leader of the Brooklyn newsies."

"Ahh so he's young then."

"He's my age or a year older. We're not young."

"You're under twenty."

"So what, how old are you?"

"Twenty-six." Okay so I had been off by a year when I was guessing his age before. We sat in silence for a few moments, letting the boisterous noises of the crowd in the pub wash over us. Kate and Ian stood up, and she told me they were going for a walk. I eyed Ian and shot Kate a 'be careful' look to which she slid the top of the switchblade she carried in her pocket out and winked at me.

Casting my eyes about, I noticed that Wraps and Spitfire were gone. That worried me a bit, I had sort of been counting on them sticking around to spy a little more so I could walk home with them.

"How did you find me?" Declan's gaze sharpened and he took a sip of his drink slowly. I couldn't really tell if he was here because he 'liked' me or something else. I was confused, and I didn't like the way I responded to his touch. Fixing my mind on Spot, I waited for his answer.

"I watched you go into the Manhattan lodging house. Then you came out and left with that boy, who I'm assuming was Spot, and it only took a few questions to find out who HE was. I figured those kids would have clammed right up if I asked directly about you." I bristled at the 'boy' and 'kids' but tensed up at the rest of his statement.

"WHY though?" Declan just looked at me, his brows slightly furrowed, a glower on his face. Then he raised his hands in the air and let them fall onto the surface of the table.

"I don't KNOW alright? I was worried about you. I didn't like the idea of a girl who had just seen someone brutally killed wandering about on her own. Besides...I just..I don't know. I'm not really sure why either. It was just something I felt like I had to do." I didn't like this. ANY of this. Standing up, I grabbed my ale and finished it in a few swallows. Dropping some money onto the table, I shot Declan a baleful look.

"Don't follow me anymore. I don't know what your deal is, but you're here for a different reason. I can just tell."

"Riot, wait! You shouldn't be walking home by yourself." I waved a hand dismissively at him and picked my way through the rowdy crowd. The smells of cigarette smoke, unwashed people, ale, and other liquor suddenly pierced my senses and made me feel a little ill. I suppose it could also have been the sharply uneasy feeling that was worming it's way into my stomach.

Once outside, I breathed deeply although I got a lungful of river stench, there was some clean air that managed to get in as well. It cleared my head and I glanced up and down the street. It was dark. The inky blackness seemed to envelop me in a suffocating manner. There weren't many street lamps in this area of the neighborhood. It had started to rain but thankfully it wasn't cold. I took my cap off and let the water rush over me. I didn't take baths as often as I had in modern times. It was too much of a pain since we didn't have a real tub, to gather the water and heat it up.

Rain dripped off of everything and I was so concentrated on that, that I almost missed the footsteps behind me until a hand grasped my shoulder. Gasping, I was whirled around to face Declan. He was pissed, his face was menacing and his lips were drawn back over his teeth in a faint snarl.

"Some poor girl was killed not too far from here and you are NOT walking back alone. I'll pick you up and throw you over my bloody shoulder if you give me any trouble." Declan had an Irish accent. It was recognizable, but faint as if he had worked hard to banish it away.

"Alright, you don't have to get grabby," I said calmly. Declan blinked, water dripping off of the brim of his bowler hat. He must have had it somewhere else in the pub.

"Too much goddamned trouble," I heard him growl softly under his breath.

We walked along in silence, our feet making wet slapping sounds against the sidewalks. I lit a cigarette in the protective shadow of my cupped hand and watched as Declan lit a cigar. A horse and cart came by, the driver hunched over and bundled against the rain.

"So I guess I should thank you for making sure I don't get gutted. I just hope that you aren't the Ripper." A weird look passed over Declan's face so fast that I thought I had been mistaken. Then he gave an awkward cough, and puffed on his cigar, head down.

My hand shot out and yanked on his sleeve, pulling him to a stop. Declan wouldn't meet my eyes, but looked over my head as if he could penetrate the darkness behind me.

"You know who the Ripper is, don't you? I know it's not you because you were with me that time in the Points. You know who's doing this though, don't you?" Declan shook his head and began walking once more. I didn't want to follow him, but the alternative was walking alone. The rain began to let up, and I slicked my hair back with a hand in an impatient gesture as I caught up to Declan. Street lamps began to appear, for which I was glad.

"Declan if you know who is doing this, you have to tell the police. He killed one of my friends." Declan gave me an impenetrable look and stopped. The tip of his cigar glowed reddish-orange in the night, and he let a huge wave of smoke spew out of his mouth like a dragon. The slightly noxious, slightly sweet smell made me heady and I shook my head a few times.

"This goes way over your head girlie. Even if I did know who's doing this I couldn't..." He stopped and gave me a powerless, entreating look. I glared daggers at him, and felt a sinking sensation in my stomach.

"Riot," Declan murmured, sliding a hand to cup the nape of my neck, his thumb caressing my lower lip and the side of my cheek as it passed by. I shivered and blamed it on the rain which had stopped.

"Forget about what you've seen and go back to your life. This will only cause you trouble and I don't want to see you get hurt." I blinked at him as he bent forward and pressed his lips to mine. I didn't encourage him, nor did I pull away. But when he slid another arm around my waist and I felt his tongue against my closed lips trying to gain entrance, I let myself go with it and opened my mouth.

A wave of guilt swept through me as he deepened the kiss, a growl of satisfaction making a noise in the back of his throat that I could feel and hear. Then I pulled away roughly, wiping a hand over my mouth. Neither of us moved, but I could feel myself shaking.

"You..you have to stop Declan. I'm not going to leave Spot." I felt a hand grasp my upper arm in a firm, yet gentle grip.

"Let me get you home." Tears stung the corners of my eyes as I let him guide me down the street. God what a SLUT I was. This guy had basically just admitted that he knew who the Ripper was but he wasn't going to do anything about it, couldn't do anything about it, and I let him French kiss me. Christ.

Miserably, I sniffed quietly and wiped the tears away. I finally recognized the neighborhood we were in. The lodging house was down the street. Declan released my arm and I looked up at him.

"How'd you know where I live?" Declan pursed his lips and closed his eyes briefly before opening then and staring down at me.

"I figured it out. I know you're thinking bad things about me right now Riot, and I know I haven't done anything to STOP you from doing that. Just know that I'm not going to hurt you." When he began to lower his face to mine, I stiffly held my head away at a sharp angle and looked distrustfully up at him.

"This is insane," I grated out as I extricated myself from his arms. Declan let out an annoyed sigh and crossing his arms, looked down at the wet ground. Awkwardly, I rubbed my palms on my pants and looked away.

"Thanks for making sure I got back okay," I said. Declan speared me with another one of his looks and just nodded. Jesus, for just meeting the guy not too long ago, he was awful intense. Smiling wanly I walked away from him, trying not to make my gait appear as if I was hurrying. There was just too much going on with his whole situation, I could feel it. I glanced over my shoulder once, and saw that he still stood there, his head turned in my direction. I couldn't see his face, only his silhouette, backlit by the street lamp that was just behind him.

Shaking my head, I felt relief pierce my chest as I saw the front stoop of the lodging house. I sat down, not caring about the wet surface of the steps. Looking over one more time, I saw that Declan was gone. Exhaling loudly, I put a hand to my forehead and shook my head.

"God, what the Hell is going on?" I muttered forcefully. Then I yelped in shock as a person peeled away from the side of the lodging house and approached me.

"That's what I'd like to know Riot," Spot said. I felt my stomach drop out and wanted to cry. This night was going to Hell in a hand-basket.

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**A/N - This probably seemed like a filler chapter but I introduced a few things that will pertain to the rest of the story. I actually know where this is going now! Yay for me, I get a cookie. So be patient, things are going to move along now. Hello to all you lurkers! *waves* Leave me a note, reviews make me happy. **

**Ugh I need to make my chapter's longer. Next one will be longer, I promise.**

**- A/N**

**SHOUT OUTS**

xxWickedWench - I know fillers are annoying but they can be necessary. I promise. Glad you still liked it and that you checked back on the other chapter! Riot does love Spot, she's just easily confused, and definitely pigheaded. Yep Declan's back. He has a larger part to this story than I originally intended but I like his character. Thanks for the review, keep reading!

Elyse - I'm SO glad you liked what I did with Kate. I was worried that I took too many liberties with fleshing out her character but I'm glad you liked it, I really am. Declan is synonymous with trouble as you will soon see more of. He is going to be around for awhile I think. I like him too. :X

elleestJenn - Thanks for pointing that bit about the chapter out, I appreciated it!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N - Just wanted to say thanks to my couple of loyal readers. You guys rock! - A/N**

**PS - I don't own Angel, she is owned by xxWickedWench**

My heart leapt out of my chest when I saw Spot and I had to swallow forcefully a couple of times to keep it from climbing out my throat. Spot stared accusingly at me, and I knew that he must've seen everything.

"You kissed him back this time Riot. I saw it." His voice was raspy and his jaw muscles clenched. He had a fist wrapped around the head of his cane, and when he stalked closer to me, I caught a hint of barely controlled anger in his walk.

"I didn't mean to..." My voice was small and timid and I hated myself for it. I just hated myself in general at this point.

"Since when did you turn into Cinder?" I lashed out with a half-closed hand and landed one on his chin. Spot just took it. He didn't turn away, didn't try to dodge it. Staggering back a few steps, he straightened and I could see the rapidly darkening red mark on his jawline. Slowly he passed a hand over it, his eyes fastening onto mine intently.

"Maybe I deserved that. But I didn't deserve what you just did with that bastard. I know you're mad 'cuz me and some of the boys went out to that bar, but you went out tonight. You broke the curfew. You broke my...Well...Never mind."

"Spot..." Spot held up a hand and shook his head slowly. My mouth opened and closed stupidly for a few seconds before I shut it with an audible 'snap'. Spot and I stared at each other and I felt tears gathering in the corners of my eyes, hot and stinging. A loud group of young men walked down the sidewalk towards us, and Spot stepped forward and grasped my upper arm in a firm hand. Walking, he half dragged me off of the sidewalk and down an alley that ran alongside the lodging house. We were pressed close for a moment and I saw Spot's nostrils flare.

"Christ you even SMELL like him." I ripped my arm out of his grasp and felt my temper ignite.

"How the hell do you know? I was in a bar after all." Spot's mouth twisted scornfully.

"I saw him smoking a cigar. I bet you taste like him too." My lips thinned but I didn't respond. I didn't know what to say. Spot half-turned, and then spun back around on his heel and let go of his cane where it hung in his belt-loop.

I leaned backwards as he shot out a hand and grabbing the back of my head, slanted his mouth over mine so roughly I tasted blood as he ground our lips together. Just as incensed, I seized the front of his shirt into my hands and kissed him back for all I was worth. Finally parting, but not going far as he was still holding my head, we gasped for breath.

"You tasted like him," Spot ground out. Then he bent forward and kissed me again. Releasing my head, he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me flush against him.

"But you taste like me now." The self-satisfied smirk on his face almost made me angry, but I realized I thought his jealousy was a little flattering. My stomach was a mess and I had so many emotions swirling around. I sort of wanted to be alone, but I knew Spot would either walk away right now, or he would stick to me like glue.

Unfortunately when we had started our relationship, he had just come out of one where Cinder, his ex-girlfriend who was now with Spook, the leader of Harlem, left him because she had been seeing Spook behind Spot's back. So needless to say there were obviously still trust issues. But then again, I guess he had reason to be that way. After all, he had just seen me kissing another man with his own eyes. Crap this was getting ridiculous.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Spot's eyes were unreadable in the gloom, but when he pressed his mouth against mine, I could feel the smile on his face. I laid my head on his chest, and he rested his chin on top of my hair.

"Does this mean we're not fighting anymore?" I asked tiredly. I felt Spot take a deep breath, then he pulled away and looked down at me.

"Nah, we're still fighting. Just not right now. Right now I'd just like to hold you, and know that you're going to sleep next to me tonight and not in the girl's room. Right now it's enough to know that you're here with me and not with that son of a..."

"SPOT," I said sternly. He bent his head down and kissed me on the top of my head. Taking my hand, he tugged me out of the alley out towards the street. The smile that I caught him flashing me was one I would remember for a long time. Half-tender, and half-smirk, it summed up the moment perfectly.

Most of the kids were sleeping when we went inside. I was sort of glad, the tension was fairly sparking between us. I felt nervous, still angry, and hopeful. I didn't want to lose Spot, no way in Hell. He scared the shit out of me, him and what we had did. But knowing that my feelings for him scared me also let me know that I was serious about this.

I followed him into his room, and he lit a gas lamp on the table. Feeling shy, I turned around to unbutton my shirt to get ready for bed. I heard Spot give a low chuckle and then he spun me to face him and helped me with eager, fumbling fingers. After he shed his own clothing, he pulled me down to the bed and as his face hovered over mine, I was disconcerted by his suddenly serious expression.

"I can't promise I'll be gentle, Riot. I'm too pissed off for that. But I won't hurt you." I merely nodded and wrapping my arms around his neck, closed my eyes and held on. True to his word, he was rough but not overly so. Right at the end, he tucked his face into the tender spot below my ear.

"Mine," I heard him mumble gruffly before all my bones seemed to dissolve. Later, when he was snoring next to me, arms holding me close, I laid in bed not able to sleep. The lamp had since been turned off and moonlight shown into the room. Random thoughts of Spot and our fight ran through my head, as well as what Declan had said about the Ripper. Something was going on there, something way more than a deranged killer.

It bothered me that Declan was hiding something as serious as the Ripper's identity, but then again I didn't know the man from a hole in the wall. Whatever was holding him back, it had something to do with Spot and the Brooklyn newsies, I just knew it. This was going to blow up. Frowning, I absently stroked a hand over Spot's arm and he stirred. Stilling, I held my breath until he began snoring softly again. A smile crossed my face and I snuggled down into the thin pillow.

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"Riot, catch!" Grinning, I accepted the hard roll that Seek threw into my hands as he raced by, his twin Hide close behind. A few days had passed since the sort of fight Spot and I had had. It was a beautiful day, not overly hot, sun shining. Spot and I had entered into a wary truce. By day we were cool yet friendly, and at night we blazed so hot I thought the room would go up in flames sometimes. Feeling my cheeks turning pink, I waved a newspaper from my stack in front of my face and parted ways with the scraggly line of newsies and headed to my spot.

All day long I felt like someone was watching me. Around noon, I ducked into the store and begged a pickle off of the owner, who I had gotten to know by hanging around so much. I took a few moments to watch two of the old men who also spent most of their time playing checkers inside.

After I walked outside and wrinkled my nose at the lingering taste of pickle, I sold the rest of my papers and jamming my hands into my pockets, started the walk to the docks. It wasn't that far away, but the fact that I could STILL feel eyes boring into the back of my head made it seem like forever.

Just as I reached the beginning of the dockside area, a hand clamped down on my shoulder. Yelping, I turned around to face Angel. Her green eyes were solemn, and her mouth drawn in a straight line.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph you almost gave me a heart attack! What's the big idea?" Angel tucked one of her black curls that was always escaping back underneath her hat. Tugging my sleeve, she didn't say anything but pulled me a little bit away from my previous destination.

"Listen," she began, looking left and right. "I know I told you I was going to stay out of this, and I want to. But there was a few guys asking about you at the Manhattan Lodging House. I'm supposed to tell Spot too, just so you know." My throat tightened and I crossed my arms, a sudden chill passing down my spine.

"What kind of guys?" I asked, swallowing hard. Angel regarded me sternly, her eyes slightly narrowed. Then she huffed out a breath and threw her hands up in the air.

"They were big. Hoodlum types I think. They were dressed rough, but one had a gold pocket watch, I saw it. I woulda taken it from him, but they made me a little..." I knew Angel would never admit to being afraid, so I just pursed my lips and nodded.

Who the Hell was after me? I hadn't been doing anything wrong per say. Just poking around, and asking for information that didn't concern me. Groaning, I dropped my head into my hands and thought hard. If she told Spot, I'd be screwed. He'd be all over me, first telling me how right he was that I would land into trouble. THEN he'd make sure I was attached to him at the freakin' hip. Biting my lip, I chewed on it and lifted my head to look towards the docks.

The faint sounds of boys yelling and splashes told me that some of the newsies were already there. I had no doubt that Spot was there. He didn't seem to ever sell papers unless he was out of money. Since he practically ran the lodging house, I assumed everyone's rent went to him.

"Well? Should I go tell Spot? If something happens to you, Blink and Mush will kill me. I knew I shouldn't have agreed to be the messenger. 'Go to Brooklyn', Mush says. 'You're doing us a huge favor', Blink begged. Rah!" If I hadn't thought Angel was absolutely right, I probably would have hidden a laugh in my sleeve. As it was, I didn't think this was a laughing matter. Looking down at the ground, I let out a huge sigh.

"I suppose we should tell Spot. He'll be wicked pissed if he finds out I was hiding this from him. We're...not on the best of terms right now." Angel looked at me knowingly and I knew I didn't need to elaborate. Shoulders hunched, head hanging, I followed Angel to the docks. Both of us paused to light cigarettes as we walked down the rough, wooden planking. Some of them needed replacing, I could see the brown water of the East River underneath my feet. But it was our place, one that we treasured, so looks be damned.

I spied Spot not on his throne of crates for once. Instead, he stood talking with Action, Rooster, and Ghost, a laugh on his lips. I was shocked that Ghost was out during the day. He was a nocturnal creature and preferred doing the night shift of spying and whatever else it was he did for Spot.

I gave him a hard look as we drew close, and he just looked at me placidly, his silver eyes steady. I still hadn't quite forgiven him for trailing in the Points, and reporting back to Spot everything he had seen.

Rooster glowered at Angel, who just gave him a cheeky smile. He wore long underwear that was slightly plastered to his skin. He must've been swimming not too long ago. Angel looked him up and down, her grin not leaving her face. I swear I saw Rooster's cheeks turn pink before he shook his head and snatched a pair of pants that lay nearby. Tugging them on, he faced us, his arms crossed like Spot and Action's.

"Angel, to what do we owe this visit? You stick in Manhattan mostly to my knowledge." Spot slid his cane out of his belt loop and stood it before him, folding his hands over the golden, burnished top. Angel shifted her feet, cast me a nervous glance, and made a strangled noise in the back of her throat. I wasn't about to help her. I stood with my arms akimbo, looking to my right, out over the water.

Emotions sat off to the side, along with Duck, playing Cat's Cradle with a piece of string. They waved and smiled at me, although Emotions just nodded as she was the one with the string laced intricately through and around her fingers.

"Blink and Mush sent me. Seems there's been some men hanging about asking after Riot here." Angel jerked a finger in my direction and I frowned at her.

"Thanks for throwing me under the bus," I muttered before realizing that I had just referenced something none of them would know about. There were no buses here yet. Luckily nobody seemed to have heard me.

Spot's eyes locked onto mine, and I winced inwardly at his expression. There was a smudge of ink on his chin pretty much in the spot I had hit him. I wanted to lick my thumb and rub it off, but I didn't think he'd be receptive that right now. His blue eyes seemed faded, tired. They also held a tinge of worry and anger. I could see the anger manifesting itself in other ways as well. His jaw muscles were clenched, and the rest of his body had tensed. This wasn't going to be good.

"Riot, you stick with me from now on. This isn't a joke, and I don't fuckin' like it. Just so's you know." Spot's face was wiped clean of any arrogant amusement. Holding out a finger towards me, he stood there silent, not saying anything until his finger began to shake.

"You're gonna stay by me," he grated out once more. I shrugged slightly and nodded. Now wasn't the time to argue or protest. He was livid, I could tell. Gesturing towards a crate near him, we sat down. Grabbing my wrist with a dirty hand, he held it so tightly that I began to squirm, a look of discomfort showing on my face.

"You make me want to slap you silly sometimes," he finally said to me. I couldn't dispute that. There plenty of times I wanted to do the same thing to myself when I got into a scrape. Now was definitely one of those times. Nodding meekly, I waited for the blow out.

Spot took of his cap, ran his hand through his dirty blonde hair and then looked at me warily as he put his cap back on and straightened it. Personally, I thought it was a tad too big, but he claimed a close friend had given it to him before he died, and he DID look pretty good in it.

"We're going to have to go to Manhattan tomorrow, get descriptions of those guys. Not tonight though." Spot rubbed his chin and sucked on his teeth thoughtfully.

"Nah I'm too tired to do it tonight, that's for sure. Man, I could go to bed right now." I peered closely at him, and although he DID look exhausted, I couldn't see any other signs of illness.

There was suddenly a yelp, followed by a large splash. Both Spot and my head's whipped around to see Rooster get pushed into the water by Angel. She stood on the dock, arms wrapped around her middle, laughing hysterically. Rooster surfaced, spluttering water in angry shouts. As he clambered up the makeshift ladder that went from the side of the dock into the river, she sprinted off, passing Spot and I by with a hurried, 'See you around'.

Shaking our heads, we looked at both Rooster, dripping wet and cussing up a storm, then back to the retreating back of Angel. Spot found this humorous and his face lightened. It made me smile to see him laugh, and so we sat and enjoyed the day.

Later that night, I pried myself away from Spot's side, with the assurance that I was only going out to smoke. The air was still fresh, despite the growing haze of pollution . I let the moon bathe me in it's silver glow as I lit a cigarette. I was smoking way more than normal, my nerves were shot.

Stretching with my arms in the air, I wandered off to the side of the lodging house. I could hear loud voices from the boy's room a floor above, and I smiled. I really did love living here. As I took another drag, a hand shot out of the darkness and slapped itself over my mouth, effectively silencing me. Another hand grabbed one of my wrists and bent it back painfully.

Shrieking into the muffling palm of his hand, I felt tears beginning to swim in my eyes, and my knees wanted to buckle. I struggled, trying to aim a kick to the man's groin, but he must have been expecting it for he dodged the feeble attempted blow easily.

It was then that he let go of my wrist and I went to bite his hand. He whirled me around and casually backhanded me. I felt my lip split like a rotten fruit, and it made me whimper.

"Stop fighting me," the man said in a rich tone laden with barely concealed malice. I stopped, not wanting to piss him off any further. A voice in my head warned me that if an attacker took you away from the scene of the initial assault, your chances of living became very slim. But the man, who had covered his face, didn't act like he was taking me anywhere.

Grasping my throat in his right hand, he turned me around so I was facing him. The moon suddenly bounced off of something metal he carried in his hand. Holding a scream back in my throat, I shut my eyes as he twisted it in front of him, forcing me to look at it before he bent towards my ear.

" You were told to stop playing detective ya little bitch. Now I get to give you a reminder to stay away." A blinding pain seared from my ear and down my jaw, and I blacked out.

**A/N - Do Spot and Riot's interactions seem stale to you guys, or are they okay? Let me know. Also, I'm aware that my cliffies are evil. PLEASE REVIEW, IT MAKES ME HAPPY! - A/N**

**SHOUT OUTS!**

Elyse - It was nice of Declan, he is a nice guy but conflicted. He knows more than he's letting on. Hmmmm where IS Hamish? Wraps and Spitfire left to report to Spot about what they had seen in the pub. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

YouSaveMe - Here is an update! I'm trying to make them more regular, and this one will be since I have most of the rest of the plot in my head. I need to write it down though. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

xxWickedWench - Yeah Declan knows what he wants and goes for it. He's stubborn like that. I HAD to bring him back, he's becoming a favorite of mine. I'm trying not to lead you guys by the nose, I definitely want to be able to write this well enough that it leaves my readers thinking. Wow thank you so much for the rest! I don't mind the gushing, it makes me feel special and puts a huge smile on my face. Oh man I was SO embarrassed when I messed up that chapter! I'll try not to write when I'm half-asleep (although I did that tonight so if anything's screwy I'll check it and fix it) Much love to you too! So glad you keep coming back to read my story :D

CES5410 - I'm glad it didn't seem like filler to you, I was trying not to make it boring. Yeah Declan had to come back, I love him! :D Thank you so much for review, and as to the rest, you'll just have to keep reading! Cliffies! I LOVE CLIFFIES! Muahahahahahaha *cough* Sorry.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N - Annnnnd welcome back! Let's try and give me fifty reviews! Ugh I am so not that chipper...ever. Thanks for reading though, seriously. I don't own Fingers, she is owned by missfervent. I also don't own Bells, Emotions, Duck, Sprite, or Bookworm. Nor do I own Spitfire and Wraps, or Accents and Angel. whew! Big list. I know I've put who owns who in other chapters but if anyone wants me to change this let me know. - A/N**

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The next time I opened my eyes, I was being carried upstairs by Rooster, Tips, Action, and Ghost. Spot led the way, looking back almost the entire time. Everyone's clothing had smears of blood on them, especially Spot's. My head lolled to the side, and one of the boys hastily caught it with the palm of their hand.

The side of my face ached like I had five hundred toothaches. I wanted to reach up and touch it, but Ghost snatched my wrist and gave me a look that was half-stern, half-sympathetic.

"Don't touch it Riot. We need to clean you up first." As Spot banged open the door to his room and impatiently motioned for the young men to lay me down, Emotions, Bookworm, Duck, and Sprite came in. Duck carried a bowl of steaming water, Sprite had a brown, glass bottle with a spoon in her hand, and Bookworm carried a needle and thread. Emotions had a bottle of whiskey that she took a quick pull off of when she got a good look at my face.

"What.." God trying to talk hurt like hell. My face felt stiff and on fire. "What did the guy do to me?" Nobody answered my query. Instead Duck shooed all the men out except for Spot. He dropped down beside our mattress and engulfed one of my hands with his own. I turned to look at him, lying the unwounded side of my head on our pillow.

"Is it really that bad?" I whispered. Spot's eyes actually filled with tears before he looked away, his jaw tightening. His hold on my hand became like iron and I whimpered.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm just...I'm going to find out who did this to you and fucking kill them. It's not that bad...it's just a cut." Emotions snorted before taking another gulp of whiskey. Then she knelt down next to us, ignoring Spot's murderous look and held the bottle out to me.

"Drink up me hearty. You're going to need this. That guy cut ya good and Duck is going to have to sew you up." Spot swore heatedly, but I struggled into a sitting position and tossed back as much of the whiskey as I could. I felt some of it dribbling out of my mouth, but when I wiped it onto my wrist, I saw that it was blood.

"How bad is it?"

"Well he must've..."

"Duck! Shut up!"

"SPOT! She deserves to hear it straight! It's not that bad, it just looks pretty bad right now." Duck took a deep breath and patted her hair which was wrapped in a braid around her head like a crown. Bells came in to the room then, another glass bottle in hand. This one held a yellowish liquid. The girls all surrounded me, and Duck nodded at Spot.

Positioning himself behind my head, he bent over and kissed me softly on the lips, then grasped my shoulders in a tight grip. Duck dipped a cloth into the hot water and looked at me.

"This is going to hurt Riot. You're going to have to be tough."

"I was born tough...JESUS SON OF A BITCH!" I screeched as she began cleaning my wound out. The water in the bowl turned a dark red before she was done. Then Emotions made me gulp as much whiskey as I could. Head swimming, I could barely keep my eyes open. She then solved that problem my dumping whiskey onto a cloth and squeezing it out over my cut. I fought Spot as hard as I could at that one. It stung like someone had poured lava onto my face. Spot was surprisingly strong for someone with his lean build, and he just managed to hold me down. Bells dumped some iodine into the cut after that.

Emotions came back then, after passing the needle through a candle a few times, she threaded it with fine white thread and began sewing up my cheek.

I'm not going to lie, I cried. I also threw up a few times into the bowl of water. When she was done, she bit the thread, passing close to my face. Then Sprite came forward, her clothes barely hanging onto her thin frame. She took the brown bottle and poured out a spoonful of a clear liquid.

"Laudanum," she said simply when she held it in front of my mouth. I sucked it down greedily, and she gave me a second one. Then Bells gently patted iodine, the yellowish liquid she had brought into the room, onto my freshly stitched face. My cheek and near my ear was throbbing.

Spot let go of my shoulders, and I threw up once more. Before I settled back down onto the pillow, he changed the pillowcase since the other was stained with whiskey, blood, and iodine.

The laudanum began to kick in, and I felt pleasantly woozy and could barely keep my eyes open. Sprite had given me some big spoonfuls and I started to giggle uncontrollably at nothing. Spot kicked everyone out, and undressed me gently. I finally crashed and let him do it, lying on the mattress. When he came back to the bed, he only had on his drawers.

Cuddling me close, he kissed my neck and my ear on the injured side of my face. I flinched because it still hurt like hell, but didn't say anything. I felt too happy, warm, and fuzzy with the drugs in my system. Spot curled himself around me, wrapping his arms around my middle and pulling me close.

"I will kill them, Riot." This made me giggle again. Apparently I thought the idea of him seeking such ultimate vengeance on my behalf amusing. Spot frowned down at me and shook his head.

"You are so out of it aren't you? I could tell you anything right now and you'd just laugh like a loon." I nodded amiably. Spot snorted and nuzzled his mouth close to my ear.

"I love you," he breathed. As drugged up as I was, I registered that this was something important. Patting him absently on the chest, I kissed him on the lips, settled my good cheek onto his stomach and promptly fell asleep.

When I woke up the next morning, Spot was still in bed with me, which I thought was odd since the sun streaming through the window told me it was mid-morning. My cheek ached and the muscles were so stiff I could barely barely move them. I poked him in the side as I lifted my head up from his stomach that I had used as a pillow.

Spot grunted and twitched in his sleep. Smiling although it was painful, I slid up to his ear and gave him a wet willy. He leapt up, cursing and swinging. He almost hit me on the bad side of my face and I cringed away from him against the wall.

"Christ I'm sorry Riot! You startled me..." I sat against the wall, my eyes wide, cheek throbbing. Spot ran a hand through his dirty-blonde hair and then rummaged around on the side of the bed for a cigarette.

When he handed me a lit one, I could barely open my mouth to smoke. Apparently all the muscles had stiffened in the night. I gently tried opening and closing my mouth. A huge part of me wanted to rush to a mirror and stare, but a bigger part of me was scared shitless. Would Spot think I was ugly now? I didn't like the way he was looking at me.

"Wait here," he commanded imperiously before standing up and pulling his pants on. Slinging his suspenders over bare shoulders that had seemingly grown broader overnight, I watched him leave the room. I knew he wasn't going far, barefoot and half-dressed. A half an hour passed, with me idly opening and closing my mouth, thinking of it as exercises. Spot reappeared as suddenly as he left, pulling me to my feet.

"Hold on let me get dressed," I spluttered as he pulled me out into the hallway. All I had on were my under-garments, I really wasn't decent.

"Nobody's here, it's just us," Spot said, his blue eyes earnest. I silently let him drag me along towards the washroom. When we entered, the huge copper tub that we used every once in awhile to wash clothes or for much needed baths was full of steaming water.

Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes, although I wasn't sure why. Spot kissed me gently on the corner of my mouth near where the newly stitched injury ended.

"You could use this, ya stink." Then he laughed and pushed me slightly. I began crying outright, and I saw panic leap into his eyes.

"I was just kidding, I swear..."

"No you big dummy, this was sweet of you to lug all the water upstairs. Thank you." I pressed a hand to his cheek and then kicked him out of the room. I took my clothes off and slowly eased my way into the tub. I knew I shouldn't get the stitches wet but there was blood in my hair. I managed to awkwardly dip my head back and get my hair wet. Soaping up a ragged bit of cloth, I cleaned myself up and then reclined in the tub. God it felt awesome to have a hot bath again.

Fury erupted suddenly in my stomach as the words and images from the night before blasted into my mind. Fuck Spot, 'I' was going to kill whoever did this to me. A permanent reminder my ass! I tried in vain to remember if I had seen the person's face, but I knew in my shock and pain that whatever features I had seen were gone. I also hadn't recognized the man's voice, but something in me told me that I had narrowly escaped having my own adventure with the new Ripper.

A sickening tug on my insides also made me aware of the fact that Declan somehow had to be involved. There was no way he could be at both places just as or right before the Ripper struck. But what was his involvement? Was he working with the Ripper? Did he knowingly send me into the man's arms last night after he saved me from him not too long ago?

Frustrated, I threw the soap into the tub with a hard splash and stood up. There was another larger towel that I used to hastily dry myself off. Getting into my undergarments, I scurried down the hallway, and into Spot's room to finish getting dressed. Spot sat at his desk, rolling cigarettes. He looked up at me as I came in, and smiled.

"Enjoy yourself?" I smiled a little back, and pulled my clothes on. I felt SO much better clean, but it didn't erase my anger and confusion. I knew Spot was just trying to help but I felt so...UGLY. It really pissed me off too because I'm not one to harp on appearances. Being girly wasn't part of my normal routine.

"Yes thanks," I mumbled as I pulled an a shirt on and began buttoning it up. Rooting around in a pile of my things on the floor, I found a comb and began running it through my wet hair. It had grown just past my shoulders since I had cut it a few months ago, and it waved slightly as it dried. I ran a black strand through a thumb and forefinger and frowned.

"S'matter?" I gaped up at Spot, and he blanched a little. Holding up his hands, he leaned down to where I sat on the mattress and cupped my cheek in his hand. Running a thumb lightly over the thread, he looked at me intently.

"It doesn't matter to me." Was all he said. I blinked and drew away, finishing the task of combing my hair. We didn't talk as we both concentrated on what we were doing until Spot stood up.

"I sent Ghost over to Manhattan to get Kid and Mush. I figured you'd want them to come here not the other way around. At least for today." I smiled then, and held a hand up for him to pull me to my feet.

"You're the boss!" I quipped, trying to lighten the mood. He poked a finger into my side and I squirmed, giggling awkwardly even though it hurt like hell. Before we walked downstairs, he made me drink a spoonful of the laudanum. I fought like hell not wanting to be drugged up, but the pain made me give in.

Downstairs, I realized that the hour was growing later for some of the newsies were starting to trickle in. Most came and hugged me, but some flinched away at the sight of my face. I still hadn't looked into a mirror, and once the haze of the the drugs kicked in, I didn't give a damn.

I saw a few new faces, and Spot stopped a couple to introduce me. Apparently things had been going on and I had been so caught up with the Ripper that I hadn't even noticed.

One medium sized girl, about sixteen, with dark brown braids that fell to the middle of her back caught my attention since she was carrying a violin case. She was thin, with huge green eyes that shyly looked me up and down from her tanned face. Her clothing was a shambles, all layers, but I saw the gleam of a knife when she shifted her feet and moved her case.

"Riot this is Beatrix Childress, but we call her Fingers. She sticks to the Brooklyn Heights area but since that's so close by, I told her to bunk here. I like to know who's making money on my streets." Fingers and I exchanged wry, amused glances, and I knew I'd like her.

"Can you maybe play for me later?" I asked with my words slurring slightly from the laudanum. Fingers nodded, then silently touched the tips of her scarred fingers to my wounded cheek before hurrying away. I watched her go, bemused, but it made me feel better.

Spitfire and Wraps were in the lobby, lounging on the beaten up couch, talking quietly. Spitfire actually waved a hand at me, and Wraps smiled. I knew they were suspicious of my actions with Declan, and I was grateful for their loyalty to Spot. It was nice that they were making an effort with me. I grinned weakly and followed Spot into the kitchen.

Blink, Mush, and Jack sat at the table. Accents, the girl from the bookshop, was handing out tea in chipped and unmatched cups and mugs. Angel was slouched against a wall, picking her nails with a switchblade. Accents' blonde hair was pulled back with a ribbon that matched her blue eyes. For once she was speaking in a normal tone, not switching from accent to accent. Even Angel seemed down. There was no grime coating her face, and she peered up at me from underneath her cap, black curls cascading from underneath. Her green eyes were serious for once, instead of full of mischief.

Spot and I sat down, and I waited for the shocked glances at my face to be done. Accents handed me a cup of tea and I slugged it back. Someone had thoughtfully added some whisky. At this rate, I would be hammered before dinnertime.

"Brooklyn, we gotta problem. Angel knows who those guys who were looking for Riot are, and they're big time hoods. Have you been having any problems with any gangs down here at the docks that you're not telling anyone about?" Spot seemed to tense and then he rolled his shoulders and sighed.

"All right. Time to lay it all out on the table."

**SHOUT OUTS!**

Missfervent - I'm glad you like my story! I will be using your character, don't worry she'll appear again. I might pair her with Tips or Action. We'll see :)

Elyse - Another cliffie! I love them! Yeah Spot was off guard that night, not very good in Riot's case. Declan definitely has more to do with this story. He will be returning very very soon.

xxWickedWench - Hey I was psyched to get two reviews! Thanks for both! :D Forceful!Spot is very yummy. He will be back. He's growing up after all ;D I am very annoying when it comes to cliffies, and I think I'll be throwing a curveball coming next chapter but we'll see. I'm still working it over in my head. I will so try not to mess anything up... *wrings hands* :)

elleestJenn - Yes that is where I left it! I am evil! Thanks for reading :)

Klgaliza - That is definitely what keeps readers coming back for more, so I do them ALL THE TIME!. I am wicked in love with Spot too. He IS the man ;D


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N - I just want to say I'm really digging the way you guys are responding to my characters. You all rock, seriously. Now. I don't own Fingers, Accents, Angel, Wraps & Spitfire, the Bishops, Duck, Bookworm, Sprite, Bells, or Emotions. -A/N**

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My mouth dropped open when everyone turned to regard Spot in surprise. 'When had there been trouble with another gang?' I wondered. My head swam with the laudanum and I shook it sharply.

"I've been approached by former members of the Whyos out of Manhattan. Apparently this lot have formed their own little outfit, trying to steer clear of the Eastman and Five Points gangs. They're looking to get more control of the East River, especially in this neighborhood." Angels, Jack, Mush, and Blink looked grim. They knew the bloody history of gang fights, and had survived on streets where violence occurred often.

"What do they want over here?" Spot's eyes flicked to me, and then he looked away.

"Easier access to the river to send supplies to Ireland."

"Why haven't you said anything?"

"Because I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet! I need to find out who these guys think they are, and how many of them there are. Last thing I'm going to do is send my boys in if there are twice as many of them, with guns. Knives and clubs we can handle, but guns we don't have a lot of." A twist of nausea in my stomach that had nothing to do with the opiate I'd been given made me clasp a hand to my middle.

"You're going to fight?" Spot turned in his chair and took one of my clenched fists in-between his hands.

"For my home and my family, yeah Riot, I am. Would you expect any less of me?" I swallowed, and flailed around for my mug of tea. Taking a restorative swallow, I blinked.

"What about submitting? You could work with them not fight them." A sharp bark of laughter from Jack and a rueful hint of a smile on Angel's face was my answer.

"I'm the King of Brooklyn, Riot, I don't submit to ANYBODY." Spot's arrogance at any other time would have been endearing and annoying but right now it struck me as stupid.

"But we're just kids! You can't fight against dangerous men like that..." My words trailed off as Spot stood up. Slamming his cane through a belt-loop, he jerked his head towards the other young men and speared Angel and Accents with a glower.

"Make sure she takes a nap. She's got some drugs in her and she needs to rest." Just like that I was dismissed.

"Goddamn-it Spot," I began, but he just looked at me with an undefinable light in his blue eyes, and a cold set to his jaw. The way he was undoubtedly grinding his teeth reminded me of my own pain, and I hung my head.

"Riot." I looked up as Spot came to my side and kissed my temple, letting his lips linger there for a sweet second.

"We'll talk later. I promise." The way he was looking at me as he pulled away reminded me of something he had said to me last night, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Huh. As I was picking through my hazy memories of the night before, he made his escape.

"Coward," I muttered as the kitchen door swung back and forth on it's loose hinges. Accents gave me a timid look as she began clearing up the dishes. I figured that I shouldn't add talking to myself to the list of 'Questionable things Riot does' so I just gave her a smile. It hurt my face to smile. That made me smile more, although I think the drugs had a lot to do with that as well.

"Allll right let's get you back upstairs." Angel took one of my arms and I dug my heels into the threadbare rug. Tugging on me, she looked back, her green eyes sympathetic. I hated being looked at like that. So I grabbed onto the doorjamb for good measure.

"Riot, come on. Spot wants you to rest."

"Kiss my ass," I replied sweetly. Angel's eyes widened and then narrowed. Digging her own heels in, she yanked on my arm, all pretense of being kindly dispensed with.

"No THANKS," she grated out, pulling with all her might on the 'thanks'. I locked my hand onto the wooden frame.

"Spot...said...REST."

"Spot..can..kiss my..ass."

"I bet he already does that in private!" Angel huffed out. I snorted a chuckle but didn't let go. I didn't want to rest. I wanted to go find Declan. I had a huge hunch that he was involved with all of this.

"Bite me!" I spat out through gritted teeth.

"FINE!" Angel bit my wrist so fast it was like a rattlesnake striking. Yowling in surprise, I let go of the doorframe, and she pulled on my arm so hard we landed in a heap at the foot of the stairs.

"Oh my god did I hurt you? Are you okay?" Angel leapt to her feet and I was hauled up unceremoniously as she did a once-over.

"I'M FINE!" I roared. Angel winced, and I felt satisfaction well up in me as she took a step back. But then someone was dabbing at my face with a cloth. Accents held up the handkerchief so that I could see it.

"No, actually you're bleeding. We're just trying to help you Riot." Shit. Now I felt like a jerk. Plus, to top it all off, I must have pulled a stitch out of place. Slapping my forehead, I groaned.

"I'm sorry guys. I'm just in shock. I hadn't heard ANYTHING about a possible gang war and now that gets dropped in my lap after some psycho tries carving my face like a Thanksgiving turkey."

"Now THAT was a comparison I could have done without." Accents' voice had taken on the tone of a prim, British schoolmarm. Angel blinked, then laughed, which turned into giggles that she muffled with a hand.

"Actually, I do feel sort of woozy," I admitted. I allowed the pair to lead me upstairs where I was once more tucked into the bed Spot and I shared. Angel and Accents disappeared, only for the door to open and have Fingers walk in. She had her violin case with her.

"I said I'd play for you, if you like?" I nodded eagerly, and she sat down on the floor by my mattress, crossing her legs. Reverently pulling her violin out of the case, she tucked it underneath her chin and smiled shyly at me.

"Any requests?"

"Well...could you do the Moonlight Sonata? I know it's a piano piece but I was hoping..." If Fingers was surprised by my choice, it showed only with a pleased gleam in her eyes before she closed them and began to play. Oh how she could play. My own eyes drifted shut as the familiar music soothed my nerves and didn't open until she was done. Then I squinted one eye open at her.

"Fur Elise?" My voice was so hopeful and drowsy that she laughed but shook her head.

"I'll play it for you when you wake up, it's a little rowdy when you're trying to go to sleep." I snickered at the fact that she had used the word 'rowdy' to describe a Beethoven song. Then I settled after giggling again when she launched into Brahms' 'Lullaby' before switching back to 'Moonlight Sonata' once more. I fell asleep before she was halfway through.

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When I woke up, the room was cloaked in shadows and I was alone. My face hurt, but not as badly, and I wasn't as fuzzy from the laudanum. I didn't want to take too much of that stuff, I knew that it could become addictive if I wasn't careful. Pushing a worn quilt away from me, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I could hear loud voices downstairs, and I jumped up and shoving my stockinged feet into my shoes, raced down the hallway to the top of the stairs.

Hide and Seek were crouched there, arms around each other, as well as some of the other smaller children. The voices echoing up the stairwell didn't sound angry, nor did they sound drunk so I wasn't extremely concerned as I made my way carefully downstairs.

Once at the bottom, I came to a cluster of girls sitting and blocking the way. Faces all turned to look at me, and I smiled. Most smiled back, although I saw pity on newly arrived Kate Bishop's face, and a stern look on Spitfire's.

"What's going on?" I asked as I crouched down next to them. Emotions was grinding her teeth, smoking a cigarette furiously. She wasn't the only one to look pissed off. Even motherly Bookworm looked ready to bite an iron pipe in two.

"Oh the 'men'," Emotions drawled scathingly, "are discussing what we should do about this Green Dagger Gang trying to push in from Manhattan. WE'RE not allowed in their little talk." My anger flared at her words.

"Why the hell not?" I demanded.

"Because we're not allowed to fight," Duck explained with no emotion in her voice. I chewed my bottom lip. I didn't exactly want anyone to fight, but it wasn't right that they should exclude the girls from this talk. After all it was their home too, and their 'men' getting involved. Carefully picking my way through the press of females, I strode into the lobby.

Brooklyn males were scattered everywhere, with a healthy dose of Manhattan boys as well. The room was packed, and hazy with cigar and cigarette smoke. Talking abruptly ceased when I entered and stood, arms akimbo, hands braced on my hips.

"So what's going on here?" I asked stiffly, the stitches making my words abrupt and almost bitten off.

"Sorry Riot, boys only," Rooster said from his seat on the floor next to me. He stood, apparently getting ready to herd me out, an apologetic smile on his face that didn't quite reach his hard, gray-green eyes.

"Why is it boys only?" I admit my attempt at keeping innocence in my voice failed miserably. There was an awkward shifting around the room. I saw John Bishop look to his feet, and he wasn't the only one.

"Girls don't fight. Not in this one." Spot's cold voice came from his perch where he sat on the lobby desk. We stared at each other for a minute or two, not saying anything out loud.

"Too bad," I said slowly. Wrong thing to say apparently, 'cuz all hell broke out the minute the words left my mouth. Boys leapt to their feet and began protesting, while all the girls who had stayed out of the main room poured in, shouts on their lips that rang just as loudly in the small space. Spot shot me a 'now you've done it' look as Mush and Blink tried to calm everyone down. No one listened until a piercing whistle echoed out.

Spot took his fingers out of his mouth and glared around the room with a cold fury in his eyes. Words trailed off as he got to his feet and stalked around, looking like a cat someone had dumped water onto.

"These guys are older, bigger, stronger, and meaner than more than half of you, especially you girls. I know you all have it in you to get mad, but I need you MAD, and I need you strong."

"It doesn't take a man to hold a pistol," I spat out as I crossed my arms underneath my breasts. Spot stopped and then crossed the room to where I stood and grabbed my chin in an unyielding grip.

"A MAN did this to you Riot. A MAN grabbed you from behind and sliced you open. We can't be looking out for you girls if this comes down to an all out war." I felt shame rush into me, and a humiliated flush lit my cheeks. I couldn't believe that he had done and said those things in front of this many people.

"Damn it Spot we have a right! You can't shut us out! What are we supposed to do if we don't know what's going on and someone comes after us when we're selling? What d'you have to say to that?" Emotions put her hand on my shoulder as she came up behind me and challenged Spot.

"We were discussing what to do about that when you ladies so kindly barged in," Actions stated in a matter-of-fact tone, his blue eyes mild. I saw him glance to my other side and realized that Fingers stood next to me, clutching her violin case so hard, her knuckles were white. She blushed prettily and I grinned inwardly. Maple, Actions' old girl had left the lodging house sometime last year, getting a job in the Bronx. Nothing had been said at the time, but I assumed that their relationship had run it's course, and Actions had decided she should go.

It was interesting that shy Fingers was attracted to Spot's second, but I let that thought pass out of my mind for the moment. My mind was racing, and I twisted my hand into the thin fabric of my button-up shirt. Spot still had my chin in his hand, and I ripped myself away, rubbing my face furtively. He watched me closely, his mouth a thin line on his pale, lean face.

For the first time in a while I really LOOKED at him, and saw a short young man, who was starting to looking like he needed a good, large meal. We were all thin, but he had started to lose weight. His eyes were tight, and looked tired. I suddenly wanted to wrap him up in my arms and hold him. It made my chest ache to look at him, so I was the coward this time, and I looked away.

"Spot," I began, my voice thick with emotion. He shook his head sharply and whirled around to walk back to the desk and take his seat back. His eyes were two chips of ice as he surveyed the room.

"Girls out. NOW." We retreated at the tone of his voice, but none of us were happy about it, grumbles and veiled threats trailed the air behind us as we left. Most of the girls went to have a powwow in their bunk room, but Kate Bishop left after telling me with a small smile that she had a date with Ian. I let myself smile and squeal a little with her over that.

I should have gone into the girls' room with the rest, but I went into Spot's room and sat at his desk. I was pissed but I was hurting as well. I knew what was I going to do, and I knew how it would hurt Spot but I couldn't stop myself.

"Man I wish they had Valium or something to relax me so I wasn't running around all the time," I muttered to myself. I glanced at the bottle of laudanum and considered, then dismissed the idea.

With so many thoughts and feelings jumbled into my brain and heart, I opened the window next to Spot's desk and eased myself out onto the fire escape. Looking down, I heaved out a huge breath.

I hated these things, they were rickety and always felt like they might break off the building at any moment. Taking another breath, I hurried down quickly and carefully, dropping the last foot when it ended. Then with a searching look around for any guards, I took off down the street at a brisk pace.

I caught a ride with a man delivering coal in a large, creaky wagon, a lumbering dray horse hooked up to the front. When we crossed the Bridge, I thanked him and took off on my own feet. Heading towards the points, I squared my chin and my shoulders and fingered the shillelagh hanging from my side. It was time to find Declan Moody.

**SHOUT OUTS!**

Klgaliza - I love giving Spot more to his character than what was shown in the movie. It's fun! Glad you're enjoying, and thanks for the review :D

Elyse - Thank you so much! I want to make the characters as interesting and complex as I can so I hope I'm doing a good job. I'm glad you liked the chapter, I really liked Spot in this chapter :)

MissFervent - Of course its not sad! You were in this one too! YAY! *dances* Riot still hasn't looked in the mirror, so that has yet to happen, but she's dealing in her own way. Declan's growing on me too, still not sure how his part is going to end yet. Ooo you got your sis to read my story? Thank you!

Just da Girl - Thats okay I'm just glad to see you still around! Spot definitely has some proving to do, and Riot still has some dealing with what happened to do. They're not quite doing it as they probably should so we'll see :)

xxWickedWench - I'm glad you like Riot so much. A lot of her character is based on me so whew! LOL. Spotface is definitely growing more as the story goes along. I hope I keep doing such a good job in your opinion. Thank you for the review, I loved it! :D PS - I'm glad I made Spot tell Riot the truth in a roundabout way. It had to come out eventually ;)


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N - All your reviews cracked me up. Here's another chapter. Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas guys! Much love to you all 3 -A/N**

**PS - I wrote this chapter listening to Christina Perri's 'Jar of Hearts', and Chris Isaak songs. Don't really know why I put that out there, but I did. Yup. Bye now. XD**

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I walked quickly down the streets, not wanting to run into any Manhattan kids as I headed towards the Points. I felt like such a dumbass, and two or three times turned around and headed home, but I needed to know. Curiosity killed the cat, and I was a small alley cat headed towards Hell.

Fisting my hands, I crossed the boundary and looked around. The Points had cleaned up somewhat since the mid-1800's, so there weren't as many gangs as before, but it was still dangerous. I headed down a street hoping to run into Rooster's Alley, or the bar Declan had taken me too.

As I turned a corner, I felt a hand clamp on my upper arm, and whirl me around. I was facing a man about 6"2, who weighed twice as much as I did. His head was covered with brown flat cap, and he wore a pair of faded, patched brown trousers and a dingy white shirt. His eyes scared me. They were brown, but hard and lit with a manic light. His smile was certainly not friendly.

"Hey Mickey, I found the kid. Ewan's gonna be happy." The man called over my head to another male who was dressed similarly, but had shaggy yellow hair and blue eyes.

"Let me go!" I spat, as I furiously worked at getting myself released. The man named Mickey just laughed and punched me on the jaw. As I slumped, he caught me and slung me over shoulder.

"Fuck she's bleeding on me from that cut Ewan gave her," I heard and felt Mickey grumble as I slid into unconsciousness. When I woke up, I was in a small room, dropped in a heap onto a wooden floor. The only window in the room let in some light through the dirt crusted onto it, so I was happy knowing that I hadn't been out long.

Groaning, I put a hand to my hand, and leaping up, ran to the window and tried to open it. It was painted shut. Tip-toeing, I went to the door and tried the handle gently. It didn't give either. Fucking locked. I let my head rest on the wooden door, mindful of the flaking paint. Turning, I looked around the room.

There was a mattress, with a crumpled gray blanket in one corner, and that was it. There was nothing else in here. Frowning, I went back to the window and looked out. I was back in Rooster's Alley, and on the ground floor of a building.

I felt tears well up in my eyes and I angrily dashed them away. It was my goddamned fault that I was in this mess. I really needed to learn to think before I leapt straight into Hell. Then I froze as I heard voices from outside the door, in another room.

"We found her Boss, just like you said. She'd be pretty if it wasn't for your little present." A couple of coarse laughs rippled around the other room.

"I don't mind, I think I'm going to go try her out," came another voice. I shrank back, starting to tremble.

"I don't believe I gave permission for that," came a more cultured voice than the other two, and I felt relief go through me. Groans issued forth, and I tensed again when arguing came next until another voice made me freeze.

"She's mine if you don't mind. I've staked a lot of time with that one." Silence. Then the 'gentleman's' voice came once more.

"Fine, fine go ahead." I skittered to the opposite end of the room, well away from the door and the bed, fingers going for a shillelagh that had been taken away when I was out. The door opened and I closed my eyes as I heard it shut, then a key being fitted into the lock.

"Open your eyes Riot," came a soft voice I knew well. I opened them to see Declan crouching in front of me, his eyes anguished. I leapt at him, trying to pummel him with my small fists, but being malnourished and smaller than him, I was easily overwhelmed.

Panting, I lay on the ground, Declan straddling my waist, his face inches away from my own. He had my arms stretched over my head and pinned to the ground with one large hand. His other came to my face and trembling, stroked my injured cheek.

"I can't believe he..." Declan swallowed, and I turned my face away from him. He leaned forward and put his nose and mouth against the soft spot on my neck below my ear...the one that Spot loved so much, and inhaled shakily.

Straining, I tried to buck him off. I really wasn't in the mood for what he seemed to be, although I couldn't quite believe that he was going to force me.

"I had no idea that he did that to you. I would have told you if I knew, I...I swear. Riot..." Declan swore and pulled away from me so that he could look into my eyes.

"What the Hell is your real name? Tell me, right now."

"Lily," I ground out. Declan breathed my name out and I shoved at him again. Then he sat up abruptly, pulling me with him. I ended up in his lap, and he kissed me as best he could, although I fought him this time. Who the Hell did he think he was pulling crap like that at a moment like this? I told him as such and he gave me a grim smile.

"I'm second-in-command of the Green Dagger Gang, Lily." My mouth dropped open although a small part of me had anticipated something like this.

Declan drew me around so that I was sitting in his lap facing him, my arms drawn across my chest and behind my back, held by his hands. We stared at each other for a few minutes until someone banged on the doorway.

"Oi Declan, you done yet? We're going to the bar."

"Go ahead Mickey, I'll meet you there." A low grumble of acknowledgment came from the other side of the door and then there was silence. Declan's cobalt eyes dropped back to stare into my pissed off gray eyes. Then he leaned forward.

"I'm going to get you out of here Lily. I promise. But Ewan...he's a nasty bastard. He makes the Devil look like a schoolboy in short pants." I frowned at Declan's statement but shrugged the heavy hands he had lain on my shoulders.

"You'd better get me the fuck out of here," I snapped nastily. Declan didn't comment, nor did he let me up. I twisted my hands until I realized that my struggles pressed my chest against his. Declan gave me a small smirk before he bent and kissed me again.

"You know if this was any other time, and the circumstances were different," he began. I held his gaze with my own and inclined my head.

"Yeah. I know. Things would probably be different." Declan released one of my hands to draw a finger down my cheek.

"This doesn't take away from you at all, I hope you know that." I twisted my face into the semblance of a smile and turned my head so that my hair covered that part of my cheek.

"Thanks I guess. Now what was that about getting me out of here?" Declan gave a low laugh and stood up, bringing me once more, with him. Letting go of my fully, he went to the door and unlocked it, pushing his head out into the other room to look. I studied him, his slightly stocky build, short copper hair mussed from our tussle and sighed inwardly.

If I had met him before Spot, and had no idea of his other activities, yeah things probably would have ended differently. But right now was no time to dwell. Declan pulled his head back in, and smiled at me.

"They all must have left. Let's go."

"No way, just let me out of here and I'll find my way."

"Fuck that Lily, I'm bringing you back to Brooklyn."

"Spot will kick your ass." Declan snorted with laughter and didn't bother to hide his amusement.

"Spare me, Lily. Let's go. Shut up and follow me." I considered grabbing something and hitting him upside the head just out of spite, but there wasn't anything to grab.

Once we headed out into the other room, I saw that it was as sparse as the one I had been put in. There was a table surrounded by chairs, a fireplace, and another window. A small kitchen area had been built in as well.

"Be quiet," Declan said to me as we went to the main door. When it opened, I saw that we were in a hallway with many other doors. There was no noise which was unusual if we were in a tenement building. There should have been yelling, babies crying, children...

I got my answer when we went out a side door into a narrow alley. We were in Rooster's Alley, which was primarily owned by the gang, I was beginning to think. Declan slapped his bowler hat onto my head after stuffing my hair underneath, and we hurriedly walked away, losing ourselves in the crowded streets just outside the alleyway.

Declan took my hand, and I let him tug me along, making sure I kept my face pointed towards the ground. Next to him, I must have looked like a skinny youth. Nobody gave us a second glance and it was to my astonishment that we got into Manhattan with no problem.

Sometimes the ease with which I into and out of certain scrapes made my head spin. I was a walking calamity. Digging my heels in, I halted Declan abruptly.

"Listen I'm good now, I know my way around Manhattan pretty well." Declan shook his head mutely and just took my hand into his larger paw once more.

"Stop being stupid Lily. Besides when else am I going to get to hold your hand?" I tried pulling away at that, but he just chuckled and dragged me along. Scowling, I made my feet move on their own once more. We took an alternative route, away from Duane Street, I noticed. Once we got within sight of the Bridge, I brought Declan to a halting stop and took his hat off of my head.

"Really, you can't come with me any further. Spot has guards on either side of the bridge. I'll be fine, I promise." Declan pursed his lips and then pulled me over to a building where he pressed me against the bricks.

"I know you want to understand what's going on. I know you're not as stupid as your actions are making you seem. But you have to leave this alone. There is nothing I can do to get Ewan to leave your gang alone, but it's for a greater good. I know that somehow maybe we can make you understand. We don't want to slaughter a bunch of kids, believe me. Well...most of us don't."

"A greater good? You're talking about my friends...my FAMILY." Declan winced and looked away from me. I was pissed. Once again I was being manhandled by this thug and I didn't like it.

"I just want you to understand how serious this is."

"Oh I understand plenty! Now let me go!"

"Fine Riot." Huh. I was Riot again. He must be pissed too. Blue eyes snapping, he bruised my mouth with a hard kiss and then after touching my cut and kissing at least that gently, he disappeared, a stern "Stay out of this" ringing in my ears.

Angrily, I righted myself and began the long trek back to Brooklyn. I hopped onto a trolley and narrowly avoided being run over when I was pushed off by the conductor. Swearing and shaking my fist, I leapt a foot into the air when a hand touched my shoulder.

"Jesus sorry!" Kate Bishop was staring at me like I had grown two heads, her brown eyes worried.

"Oh Kate...you scared the crap outta me."

"Yeah I guess so!" Breathing in deeply, I exhaled and smiled at her before lighting a cigarette.

"Whats the haps?" Kate gave me another strange look at my vocabulary before shaking her head.

"Nothing, word is you disappeared again and Spot is worried." My left eye began to twitch and I drew my lips into a thin line. This time at least I hadn't been gone that long but I really wasn't relishing a fight with Spot. Not right now. I saw Kate's eyes on my cut and my hand flew up to run lightly over the stitches.

"Is it really that bad?" I asked quietly. I saw Kate glance to her hand where she was missing two fingers from a factory accident and then back to me. Giving me a rueful smile, she shook her head.

"Could be worse," was all she said before heading down the street towards her home. Squaring my shoulders, I glanced after her, then headed in the other direction towards the lodging house. That was it, I was looking at the damn cut. There were a few boys sitting on the front stoop, faces unreadable, weapons visible. I exchanged greetings with them and went inside.

Apparently things had calmed down since earlier. Boys and girls were once again mingling, but the air was tense. Not so with a couple of them. Action and Fingers sat together on the badly mangled couch, and she was showing him how to play her beloved violin. I had to give her credit, she only barely managed to look like he was kicking a puppy when he got a chord wrong. Flipping them a wave, I went up the stairs with a determined air and entered the washroom.

Closing my eyes, I leaned over a sink and then opened them. A gasp got caught into my throat, turning into a strangled noise. The cut started from just under my eyebrow and ran down the side of my face, ending just below the corner of my mouth, bringing the lips into a sort of one-sided frown on that side.

It was a deep cut, and was not going to heal properly. I was going to be like this forever. Tears burned in my eyes, hot and painful, overfilling so fast that salt flooded my mouth. Covering my mouth so I didn't make any noise, I fell apart sitting on the dirty floor of the washroom, arms wrapped around myself. Each time a sob huffed out of my nostrils, I made an odd choking noise, but I didn't stop for a long, long time. I wasn't narcissistic but goddamnit I was UGLY now. How could Declan kiss me, and Spot say it meant nothing to him? He would leave me when he found a prettier piece of ass, I just knew it.

The door to the washroom opened, and someone apologized and backed hastily out. I started wiping my face off, but only managed to mingle some of the snot and tears as I thrust my sleeved arm across my face. I was not a pretty crier. Sure enough, the door opened and strong arms lifted me into a sturdy embrace.

"Riot stop, please stop baby. It's not as bad as you think, you're still beautiful to me." For some reason his words enraged me. Struggling, I threw Spot off of me and stared at him wildly, my chest going up and down quickly.

"DON'T LIE TO ME! I SAW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" I cried out, pointing at the mirror. Sobs welled up in me again.

"I saw...what...it...looks like." Spot moved to touch me but I kept him at arm's length.

"I'm so ugly...that man...I'm so ugly," was all I could say. Spot remained calm, I'll give him that. I would be impressed later I was sure for how well he kept his cool around a hysterical girlfriend.

"Come with me, we'll go to bed. You must be tired Riot."

"No...NO! I'm sleeping in the girl's room. Don't TOUCH me!" I said when he made another move towards me. Blindly, I shoved my way past him and went to my old cot in the girl's room.

I heard footsteps outside the door stop and pause for a long, long, moment before taking off once more. I ached for Spot to keep reassuring me, but I couldn't get over the fact that I thought he was lying to make me feel better. Tears burned once more, and I gave myself over to them, crying myself to sleep in the dark, silent room.

**SHOUT OUTS**

missfervent - I'm so glad your sister read and liked 'Going Away'! That makes me so happy! *dances* I don't know if this story is going to be as long. There are still some major issues to get worked out. It might be 20 chapters, or it could be over that. We'll seeeeee...

xxWickedWench - Your review made me crack up, seriously. *giggle* rape-kissed...*giggles more* There's still curveballs to come I think. I love twisty, winding stories. It'll make sense in the end I hope.

Like I mentioned before, Riot is based mostly off of me. While I don't get myself into as many scrapes as she does, I frequently ask how I manage to get myself into tons of situations A LOT.

But I like the railing at Riot. You can't always like what a character does and the fact that you got upset makes me squee, cuz it means you like her right? So here's another frequent update, and Merry Christmas!

SighNoMore11 - Thanks for the review! Riot is always on the move, and she does stupid things a lot. Don't know why since she IS smart...sort of. Hehe...There are still a couple of threats to deal with, so keep reading!


	16. Chapter 16

A/N - Oh man, another long time in between updates. I'm incorrigible. Anywho, here ya go. We're almost done! This is pretty much a filler chapter, but the end part is going to lead into action that will close out the story in probably two or three more chapters, so don't despair!

PS - Mature content alert! Don't read if you find that stuff offensive. It's not graphic but it's still there.

-A/N

When I woke up the next morning I was ashamed of myself. Lying in the dark, still room, listening to the muffled sounds of sleeping girls, I went over the night before in my mind. All Spot had done was try to comfort me, and I had ripped his head off. Sighing heavily, I rubbed my eyes wearily and knew that I needed to apologize.

Sitting up on my cot, I stretched and looked down at the clothes I had slept in the night before. Disgusted, I shoved my thin, scratchy blanket off of me and clambered out of bed. My other clothes were in Spot's room however, so if I wanted to change I would need to apologize sooner rather than later.

I set my mouth into a straight line and squaring my shoulders, made up my mind and headed down the dimly lit hallway. It wasn't quite time to get up for work, but the door to Spot's room was slightly ajar.

Letting out a deep breath, I knocked on the door with a swift rap of my knuckles. I didn't hear anything at first and I turned to go.

"Riot?" I whirled back around to see Spot standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his bare chest. Eyebrows raised questioningly, he didn't seem to know whether or not to say anything else.

"I uhm..need to change," was all I said lamely. I knew that I had acted like an ass, but I wasn't sure how mad Spot was. Spot moved out of the doorway and gave me a slight smile.

"Well come in then," he simply said. I followed him into the room and shut the door behind us. Watching Spot, I again was struck by how thin he seemed. His arms, stomach, shoulders and back were corded with lean muscle but I could see gauntness in his face.

Looking around, I noticed that he had tidied the room and couldn't see any of my things anywhere. Feeling a pang knife through my stomach, I brought my eyes up to his face and waited. He gave me a gentle smile and brought a hand up as if to cup my cheek, but paused half-way, hovering in the air uncertainly.

"I got sick of seeing the room dirty so I just put everything into the chest in the corner. My stuff is in there too." Relief flooded through me and I gave him a small smile before turning to paw through the chest. Finding a change of clothing I was halfway undressed, in the act of pulling an undershirt over my head when he spoke again.

"Are you feeling better this morning?" I swallowed and turned, tucking the ends of the undershirt into my trousers before sliding my arms into a gray button-up shirt that matched my eyes.

"Actually, yeah I do. Spot, I'm really sorry...I let myself get so upset and I know that you don't care, but I am a girl and sometimes we get upset over stupid things like looks." Spot was looking at me with a fond, exasperated expression on his face, but there was also a sternness that I wasn't expecting.

"I think we need to talk about this more Riot. We can't keep fighting the way we have been. What's the point of being together if all we do is fight?" I swallowed a lump that suddenly appeared in my throat with a painful wince. This was it, he was going to say he didn't want me anymore.

Feeling tears prick the corners of my eyes, I turned away and finished buttoning up my shirt with trembling hands. I didn't know what I'd do if I lost him, but he had a point. Hearing footsteps behind me, I closed my eyes as I felt arms sliding around my waist. Spot pulled me close and rested his chin on my shoulder. I felt a sob well up in my chest but I held it in as tightly as possible.

"You're shaking," Spot observed quietly. I hung my head, letting my hair hide my face. Spot gently turned me around in the circle of his arms and took my chin in-between his thumb and forefinger and lifted my face up.

"So what now?" I asked, my voice shaking. I knew that I had told him we were on a break, but it had upset him or so I had thought. I hadn't realized that he had been thinking we should do the same thing. Spot looked at me with confusion in his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"You said it yourself, all we do is fight and we can't be together if we only fight. So what do two people do who fight all the time? Are you saying we're done?" Spot took my shoulders into his hands and shook me slightly.

"I didn't say that we were done, I said that we need to stop fighting! I'm not giving up on us if thats what you're asking. We've been through too much to let this go just yet. So what do you want to do? Do you think I'm worth it? Are you willing to be strong with me? Or do you want to go your own way?" My eyes widened at his rant but I felt a weight lift off of my heart. I should have known better, should have known that he wouldn't give up so easily.

I felt a smile lift the corners of my mouth up slightly and I leaned forward and kissed him softly on the mouth. Spot let out a huge breath and seemed to relax. Brushing a lock of my hair out of my face, he grinned down at me.

"That was definitely the answer I was looking for. I knew you still loved me even though you act like you hate me half the time." Blushing, I punched him on the shoulder.

"So does this mean we're okay now?" I asked tentatively. Spot's mouth quirked up in a crooked smile but he shook his head and sighed.

"We'll take things slow. You still haven't told me what happened to you yesterday, where you were. I'm going to be angry when you tell me aren't I?" My eyes shot to the floor but I nodded nonetheless.

"Do you remember that man you saw me with a few nights ago?" Spot's hands on my shoulders tightened and when I looked back up his face was stiff with anger. I squirmed out of his grip and held up my hands placatingly.

"Look, we just agreed to stop fighting all the time, so please don't get mad at me. I didn't go try to find him to have him kiss me again, thats for sure." Spot barked out a short laugh that sounded anything but amused.

"Thank God for that! I suppose I should be grateful then?"

"Declan's from the Points, I was trying to find out information on the Green Dagger Gang. I just wanted to help, I know you and the boys are planning to strike out at them and I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Riot, of course some of us are going to get hurt that's what happens in gang fights. And we ARE going to fight them, they'll just keep coming back here and bothering us unless we give them a reason not to." I clasped my hands in front of me and held them up in a pleading gesture.

"Spot they're all grown men! They don't care about hurting people, even us! Are you really going to take children to war against adults? They'll slaughter us!" Spot pointed at me, his blue eyes sparkling with cold fury.

"YOU are going nowhere when we do this. I'm only taking the biggest, oldest boys with me. This is going to happen, end of discussion." Our voices were raised now, and I could hear footsteps in the hallway as other Newsies began waking up and getting ready for work. Pale sunlight was filtering through Spot's dirty window in patchy rays.

"Declan's second-in-command!" I blurted out. I wasn't really sure why I divulged that information, but in my anger I must have thought it would help. Spot paused, and ran fingers through his dirty blonde hair, making some of it stand up a little in disarray.

"So the man who kissed my girl is also one of the ones in charge of the gang threatening my livelihood? Perfect." Mistake made, I closed my mouth and let him rage for a minute.

"Did you think saying that would help? Now I'm really going to kill him!" Rolling my eyes I threw my hands up in exasperation. A knock on the door stopped our argument in it's tracks. Spot stalked forward and threw the door open so hard it bounced off of the wall. Action stood in the doorway, a hand still raised as if to pound on the door once more.

"Is everything okay in here?" His bluish-green eyes were cautious and he seemed to not have wanted to butt in at all but there was worry on his face as well. I guess we had been really hollering at each other.

"We're fine, we're fine," Spot waved a hand in front of himself in dismissal. Action glanced at me briefly and I gave him a small smile and nodded. Shrugging and swearing under his breath, Action told Spot he would lead the group to the Distribution Office for him, and disappeared. I looked over at Spot, expecting him to say it was time for us to head to work, but he just stood there staring at me.

His eyes were unreadable as he gazed at me for a few more seconds and then he walked forward, slammed the door shut, and grabbed my hand.

Yanking at my clothes, he began undressing me. I just stood there, my mouth hanging open as he pulled his shirt and undershirt over his head and dropped them onto the floor.

"Spot we just got dressed!" I protested. Spot's hands fumbled with the fastening of my trousers before he knelt on the mattress on the floor and pulled me down beside him.

"I know, and I don't care. I want you," was all he said. I lay silently as he finished removing our clothing and straddled me. Touching my face gently, he looked at me intently and then entered me with one slow thrust. Burying his face into my neck and hair he moved slowly at first, then picked up his pace. Just before the end, he kissed me on the mouth and ran a thumb over my lips.

"God I love you," he whispered as I shattered into a million pieces. Afterwards we lounged in bed, Spot spooning me from behind, a hand gently stroking up and down my arm.

"Did you mean what you said?" I asked suddenly, biting my lip. I couldn't get over the fact that he had finally said it, but like when someone tells you something when they're drunk, you also can't really believe what someone says in the heat of the moment.

Back in my own time, I had heard from countless friends of just such instances that later were revealed to have meant nothing. I realized then that I was a pretty untrusting, cynical girl.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," Spot said quietly. I smiled, and snuggled against him more securely. If he noticed that I hadn't said it back, he didn't say anything. I did love him, but I wasn't sure if I was ready to tell him. I knew that I should, knew that our relationship was rocky and unstable and that answering his own revelation positively would go a long way, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I felt like such a bad human being sometimes.

"I'm glad," was all I said in response. We didn't move for some time, I suspect Spot even fell back asleep. But finally, after the sunlight had changed position on the floor, we finally arose and redressed ourselves.

The walk to the Distribution Office was pleasant and I enjoyed the sunlight and Spot's company. We made it in time for the afternoon release and after buying our papers, I promised I would meet up with Spot later. Reaching my selling spot, I greeted the old men lounging around outside and began hollering the headlines.

It wasn't long before I felt eyes on me again and it began to ruin my good mood. Looking around I tried to find out who was watching me to no avail.

"This is getting old," I grumbled but resumed selling my papers as fast as I could. I was almost done, with maybe three left, the sun sinking low in the sky, when a hand fell onto my shoulder.

Whirling around, I came face to face with Declan. Furious, I wrenched myself out of his grasp and took a few steps backwards, away from him. Declan's cobalt eyes bored into my own and I wondered if he was the one who had been watching me all afternoon.

"What do YOU want?" I snapped. Declan smirked at me, crossing his arms over his stocky chest. A breeze ruffled the hair that stuck out from underneath his bowler hat.

"I'm here to try talking to you again about your wonderful leader. He needs to just give up and let us have what we want. Nobody needs to get hurt, Riot." Huh, Riot again hmmm?. Frowning, I mimicked his stance and cocked my head.

"You know thats not going to happen, right? It's our home Declan, we're not going to give it up that easily. So put that in your pipe and smoke it!" I jabbed a finger in his direction and Declan gave me a slightly confused look.

"I don't smoke a pipe. Anyways, this is all going to end badly. Our men are fervent for the Cause and will die for it." I began to put two and two together and I didn't like what I was finally figuring out. When Spot had said the Green Dagger Gang wanted our spot on the docks to send supplies to Ireland, I had originally thought he meant food. But hearing Declan speak of a 'Cause' I realized that he meant the fight to free Ireland from British rule.

"Declan I respect your wanting to help out your country but it's our home simple as that. If we have to fight for it, we will."

"Even you?" Declan's face and eyes were serious and intense. I nodded slowly and he shook his head, anger and worry threading through his facial features. Then his shoulders slumped and he began walking towards me. I back up, hands held up in the air as if to ward him off.

"Is everything alright Lily?" Seamus, one of the old men who sat in front of the store behind me, called out suddenly. Declan stopped abruptly and I glanced over my shoulder to smile reassuringly at Seamus.

"Every thing's fine, go back to beating Robert at checkers," I answered. I heard an angry retort from Robert and laughed which seemed to calm the old men. Turning back to Declan, I saw that he was watching me with sad eyes.

"I didn't want this to happen Lily. Just know that no matter what I will try to make sure I won't let anyone hurt you. All I'm going to tell you is to keep your guard up and your eyes open. It's only a matter of time now." Then Declan was gone, melting into the crowd and disappearing, and I was running to meet Spot to tell him what had happened.

SHOUT OUTS!

Ash - Hey thank you, what a great compliment! I'm so glad you like my writing and I hope you continue to do so :D

NewsieGoil09 - Don't worry I'm not giving up on this story! It's almost done. Spot is definitely the man.

Klgaliza - I love cliffies! Muahahahaha. I'm so glad you like Riot! Writing original characters that people enjoy is always difficult.

Missfervent - Happy New Year to you too! Wow this update was way over due since it's almost Spring right now. Thanks for the review!

xxWickedWench - In his own way Declan cares for Riot and hates what is going on and also that she is with another man. He figures you can't blame him for trying to pry Riot away although it definitely isn't going to happen. Riot is also sort of stupid. A fact which pains me since I modeled her character after myself. Oh well lol.

The gang thing was a good guess, good job! Riot's reaction to seeing herself in the mirror was a moment of weakness since she really isn't all about looks. But I figure getting a huge ass cut on your face would be enough to rattle anybody.

I'm glad you're giving Declan a chance, he really is a good guy deep down. I also LOVE the fact that my characters provoke such a reaction out of you, whether its good or bad. (I'll be happy for either although I like good better) that to me, means that I'm going a good job. Thanks for reading, I hope you still like my story! I look forward to your reviews. :D

Elyse - Spot is definitely going to have to prove himself to Riot. She's very vulnerable right now and that plus everything thats happened to her doesn't make for a good combination. Declan is a good man, he's trying to help in his own way so I'm glad you like him. I'm not going to go into the connection just yet between the Ripper and Declan but it will be soon, the story is almost over.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N - So this story is going to be over in a matter of a few more chapters. What would you guys like to see next? I might do a story about Misery and Pie Eater, or I could do another story about Spot and a new OC or another story about Riot and Spot. What do you guys think? Let me know okay? - A/N**

I ran until I got a hitch in my side and had to stop, leaning against a brick building, gasping for air. I didn't know exactly why I felt such a sense of urgency to tell Spot that Declan had given us one more shot to let the Green Dagger Gang have our lodging house. It would just erupt into the barely contained violence that was fast coming to a simmering boil with the menfolk.

Frowning, I rushed on, pushing past a vendor selling pickles. Normally I would have stopped and bought one. It was funny to see the looks on the boys' faces when any girl ate one near them, but now was not the time. The vendor cursed me out a little when I banged my shin off of his cart. That sure as hell slowed me down.

Swearing loudly and fluently, I horrified a genteel looking woman and her young children. She clapped her gloved hands over their ears but they both fought against her, grins on their freckled faces. The two boys reminded me of Hide and Seek, and that reminded me of why I was hurrying to Spot.

Finally I reached the docks, slowing down and taking in deep gulps of the stagnant, summer air. It was especially dense down here by the river, and it reeked of river water. The lookouts gave me odd glances as I limped past them. I just smiled, and tried not to make my face look as nasty as I felt.

Spot sat on his usual crate-throne, holding his cane across his knees. He had taken his shirt off so that he was just wearing a ribbed undershirt, and pants that hung on his lean hips. I took a minute to pray to whatever God in thanks for that, lemme tell you!

Spot's icy blue eyes brightened when they saw me, and he waved me up. I clambered up the pile, nearly barking my shin like I did every damn time. Really I needed to get some grace or agility. I felt like a two year old as I sat down next to him, checking myself over for scrapes and bruises. When I finally looked over at Spot, he was watching me with amusement plain on his narrow face. I stuck my tongue out at him, and for the first time that day, laughed genuinely.

"What's so funny?" Spot said with a smile. I lifted a hand and indicated the space between us.

"You, me, just nothing I guess, don't mind me." Spot captured my dirty hand and kissed the palm softly, sending shivers down my back. If he noticed the goose-pimples that formed on my arms, he didn't say anything but his gaze grew a little hot and I shot a nervous glance to the boys and girls below.

"You behave yourself mister!" I poked him in a ticklish spot on his side, and Spot huffed out a laugh even as he was shoving my hand away. A breeze finally picked up, and ruffled the ends of our hair that wasn't stuck underneath our caps. My hair was starting to grow out again, and it slid over my face, nose, and lips. Spot brushed it away and looked at me steadily.

"I love you," he said quietly, making me go weak in the knees like some damn character in a Romance novel. I nodded and took his hand, planting a kiss in the same spot as he had done to mine.

"I know," I whispered, desperately hoping that I could get over my hang-ups about saying those three words before it was too late. Already he was becoming guarded again, and I didn't want those high walls rebuilt around his heart.

"Listen," I moved on with a determined air, before he could really take offense that I hadn't said the same thing back, "I ran into Declan when I was selling." I felt him stiffen immediately and I wished that I had said it a little differently. He pulled away from me slightly, and I sat there, my heart falling, hoping that it hadn't ruined things, but it seemed that it had.

"And?" he said coldly. I could feel the frigidity radiating off of him like there had been a sudden snowstorm in June. His eyes were closed off, guarded, and piercing daggers through me.

"He sought me out Spot, I didn't go looking for him. He said the Gang is giving us one more chance to surrender the lodging house and our dock before they attack. Then he just left." Spot's glance was full of disbelief and that hurt more than anything. Standing up, I gave him a stern glower, putting my hands on my hips in anger.

"Fine, don't believe me, but thats what he said, and thats what he did. I just thought you should know." I tried to walk off in a huff, but thats sort of hard to do when you're a few feet in the air, and need to crawl over crates to get back down to the ground again. I had made it half-way when he spoke.

"You know this means we attack now, right? We can't give them the chance to set something up if they haven't already. It's time...we have to do it now." I gave him a confused look, the sun in my eyes when I glanced up at him, his expression unreadable as he was backlit by the sun.

Spot followed me to the dock, and when we were both on stable ground again, he grabbed me by the waist and pressed a hard kiss onto my lips. I was shocked, he wasn't normally one to express his emotions where others could see. Touching my fingers to my lips I didn't hear him the first time he said something to me, until he touched my cheek with an ink-stained hand, amusement back in his eyes.

"Hey! Send out the runners, would ya? I need everyone back now. Tell them to grab weapons and report to the lodging house." Dumbly, I nodded and ran off to where Action sat with Fingers, listening her play a somber classical number on her violin.

Both sets of eyes regarded me seriously when I relayed Spot's message, Action's bluish-green gaze hardening as he stood up, kissed Fingers' cheek and strode off, Fingers' large green eyes widening in fear. I suspected that something was going on between the pair of them, and I suddenly sat down next to her and took her thin hand in my own.

"Everything is going to be okay. Spot said everything would be okay." I held her hand tightly, and she gave me a slight grateful smile, tightening her own fingers. We sat like that for a few minutes until Spot walked up.

"I told Action," I said softly, my stomach turning sourly. I was frightened and worried. Spot nodded, his eyes absently taking us in, but not really seeing anything. I knew he was thinking about the coming fight. Slamming his cane into his belt-loop, he held a hand out to me. I gave Fingers an apologetic smile, but she just shrugged slightly and I took Spot's hand in my own.

Grasping him firmly, we began the short walk to the lodging house. On the way we were joined by some of the older, larger boys until a huge knot of Brooklyn Newsies were taking up a large portion of the sidewalk, pushing people aside. Some people were scared and actually crossing the street, causing Spot to smile a strange, mirthless grin that freaked me out more than anything.

Once at the lodging house, I saw the large group troop inside, but I stood outside for a minute. Lighting a cigarette, I waved Spot inside and tried to give him a brave smile. He took my chin in his thumb and forefinger and kissed me once more which made my stomach do another sulky turn. He wasn't one for this, did he actually think he wasn't coming back? When he pulled away and went inside, I took too large of a drag off my cigarette and coughed painfully.

A helpful hand pounded me on the back suddenly and I looked up to see Emotions, Duck, Bookworm, and Sprite standing near me. We all exchanged wide, fearful glances with each other before I dropped my smoke, ground it out with a battered boot, and we ran inside.

It was hard to maneuver once in the lobby, there were that many people gathered in there. The smaller kids and most of the girls had been banished to the staircase, while the larger boys waited, talking excitedly. It took Spot a second to get everyone to quiet down.

"Here's the plan! We're going to wait another ten minutes for some of the fellas who sell further away to get back here, and then we're leaving. I'm going to split us up into groups, each one with a leader and we'll meet in the Points like that. That way the coppers won't notice us as much." A low buzz filled the room as the other guys talked about what was going to happen.

"Ghost, send some kids over to Jack and see if we can get a few of his boys to join us. Action, you take one group, Rooster, you take another. I'm leaving some of you younger fellas behind to protect the women." This was met with shouts and groans from some of the smaller and younger boys who didn't want to get left behind. A few of the girls protested as well, I saw Emotions cleaning her fingernails with her switchblade and smiled to myself.

The door to the lodging house opened and the Bishops came in, John sporting a fresh black eye and bruised knuckles. He shook hands with Spot and told him that he was coming along. Kate Bishop came over to where I leaned against the wall, her brown eyes worried. I patted her on the arm and she gave me a weak smile. Her little sister Hannah could sense the tension, but didn't appear to understand what was going on. She ran off with Hide and Seek.

I had a bad feeling about all of this. I knew Declan had come to give me a warning, but I wasn't sure just how much of a warning it was. His passion for a free Ireland probably far outweighed any feelings he had for me. My eyes focused on Spot standing in the middle of a group of young men, shaking hands and giving pep-talks. This was insane. Some of these boys might not even come home tonight.

Fear clenched my stomach into a knot, and made my bowels weak. I ran upstairs and used the bathroom, tears spilling from my eyes as I hunched over the toilet. When I left the bathroom, I went into Spot's room and stood staring out the window in the darkness watching a family of immigrants in their apartment in the tenement building across the way.

Father, mother, and three children crowded around a dinner table where the woman was ladling out soup. The faces were thin, tired, and not altogether clean, but they were smiling and the father looked at his family with love. I clenched my hands into fists and ground my teeth tightly, not hearing the door open and close, not aware of Spot until he slid his arms around my waist and pulled my unyielding body close against his own.

"Don't do this," I croaked, tears and mucus clogging my throat and making it ragged. Spot nuzzled my neck, pushing the hair away from my face with a hand for easier access.

"I have to Riot, you know that." Whirling around I hit him with closed fists, pounding his chest, crying for all I was worth. Spot stood there and took it for a few minutes before capturing my hands with his own and pulling me close. I buried my face into the hollow below his throat and wept bitterly, afraid for him, and afraid for the other boys.

"Don't you die on me Spot Conlon. Don't you dare die! You come back do you hear me? I won't allow it!" Spot smiled at my fierce words and held me tight.

"Yes ma'am, I promise. I've got to go. You're in charge while I'm gone. You make sure everybody stays inside and stays safe. I'm hoping to meet up with Jack when we pass through Manhattan, I'm going to get him to send some boys over here." Grasping my chin in his hand, he tilted my face up and kissed me hard.

"If you die I will hunt you down and kill you myself," I said in a voice ragged with tears. Spot grinned and nodded, before going to retrieve a switchblade from his desk. I stood and watched him, hugging myself tightly.

"I love you Riot," he said as he turned to look at me, stopping in front of the doorway. I took a deep breath and gave him a tremulous smile, tears distorting his image in my eyes.

"I love you too," I said feeling awkward. But the smile he gave me in return was brilliant and I was glad that I had gotten over myself and finally said it. I ran forward and we kissed one last time, and then he was gone, running down the hallway.

I followed at a more sedate pace, and once back in the lobby watched with the other girls and smaller children as the Brooklyn boys filed out of the house. They left laughing and talking, pumping themselves up, and the girls cried out farewells and wished them luck. I spotted Action grab Fingers and give her a deep kiss before he too joined the crowd leaving. I put a hand over my mouth and watched them go, knowing that this was the last time I would see some of them alive.

"Now what?" Emotions came and stood beside me, her face hard. I shrugged, but my mind was going a mile a minute. Everything about this just felt wrong. We were vulnerable now. Spot should have made the Green Dagger men fight him on his own turf, but instead he had taken the offensive. I was a little surprised at that.

"I...I don't know. I guess we should do something, play some games with the little ones. I want some boys outside as lookouts in case this goes south." Emotions nodded and I saw her move to a knot of boys who were about eleven or twelve and direct them to go outside and sit on the stoop.

Bookworm had already seemed to have one of my ideas, for she gathered the youngest children in a corner and was 'playing' school, a game she had invented to try to teach them how to read and write. It was essential that they learn to read in order to hawk the headlines of the newspapers they sold, but the writing was an added bonus.

There was perhaps fifteen of us left behind, eight of us girls, the rest little boys. I settled into a seat by the desk that held our ledger and heaved out a sigh. Now it was time to play the waiting game. I nervously glanced at the desk drawer, where I knew a little pistol sat. Spot had taught me how to shoot in the rare occasion that something like this would happen so I knew how to use it.

Opening the drawer, I checked to make sure it was loaded, and grabbed some ammunition and put both into my pants pocket. I wasn't taking any chances. I had such a bad feeling about all of this.

Heading into the kitchen, I put a kettle on the stove to make some tea and saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye. Something or someone had just gone by one of the small kitchen windows. Hastily I turned the stove off and moved the kettle back. Putting my hand into my pocket, I quietly and slowly went to the back kitchen door. It was locked, but I suddenly heard scratching noises, as if someone was scraping the metal of the door knob. It took me a minute before I realized someone was picking the lock.

Leaping back, I ran out into the lobby and yelled for everyone to run upstairs into the boys room where there was a fire escape and to barricade the door with any furniture they could find. Everyone gaped at me for a moment before I pulled the gun out of my pocket.

"DO IT NOW!" I roared, waving the pistol around. The children ran upstairs, followed by the older girls. Emotions asked me what was going on, but I told her to just go. Then I ran out onto the front stoop where the three lookouts were and told them to run to Manhattan and find help. My heart leaping in my chest, I raced back into the lobby to join the group upstairs and figure out our next move when I came face to face with Hamish MacGregor of Scotland Yard.

**SHOUT OUTS**

**Elyse** - yes sadly we are almost done. You're right, Riot is definitely not about to just sit back and let someone take her home. I should have had people react to Riot's face, it just slipped my mind. Thanks for bringing that up, it's a good point. Glad you don't mind filler and hope you keep reading!

**Klgaliza** - Yeah I figured fighting can sometimes get people's engines going. Seems that way with Riot and Spot Even though they fight too much, they care about each other in the long run *grin* Glad you liked it! :D

**xxWickedWench** - Oh man is THAT why I kept getting cold chills and feeling like someone was following me? Your assassination attempts did break through it seems :D Nooooo no picket sign prodding!

Has it really been five years that I've been writing this story? The insanity! The flailing! I LOVE IT! *flails* Yes Spot finally said he loved her. He's growing up *tear* I am so glad you worked through your issues with Declan. I really meant for him to be a character that would end up redeeming himself in this story for a lot of the bad he's done.

I'm sad this story is almost done as well. I will try to end it awesomely and then move on to the next story. Although I'm not sure what the next story is going to be, but I'll figure it out.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N - Well my faithful readers this is the second to last chapter. It's sad I know, but I will keep writing, no worries! -A/N**

**PS - If you've ever heard of the website fictionpressdotcom,(sorry it wouldn't let me link it without spelling the dot, but in reality it's just a '.' not 'dot') I have a story I'm starting to write on there as well. It's not fan fiction, but its still fiction. If you're interested let me know and I'll tell you guys my screen name. And away we go!**

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"What the HELL are you doing here?" I stared at Hamish MacGregor, my mouth hanging open, holding the gun towards him. His normally carefully slicked back hair was mussed and there was a maniacal gleam in his eyes that I didn't like.

"Just put the gun down lass, I'm not here to hurt you."

"Like hell you aren't! You just picked the lock to the back door in the kitchen! Why would you do that if you weren't here to hurt us?" He held his hands up in a placating gesture, moderating his tone of voice so that it was low and soothing.

"I'm an Inspector with Scotland Yard, don't you remember? I'm here to help."

"Bullshit!" My hand was shaking, and I saw his eyes glance at the gun before meeting my own. Then he put his hands down and did an odd thing. He smiled. It wasn't a normal smile, it was feral and condescending.

"Put that gun down little girl you're going to hurt somebody, and it won't be me." Striding forward in two quick steps, he knocked the gun out of my hand so fast I barely had time to react. One strong hand wrapped itself around my throat and lifted me in the air.

I dug at his hand with my fingernails, legs flailing as I struggled to breathe. The gleam in his eyes was what frightened me the most. I thought I was done for, but he tossed me to the ground with an almost casual air and watched me as I gasped and coughed.

"You're...no...detective," I said hoarsely as the man wiped his hands on the long greatcoat he wore as if he had touched something dirty. My eyes widened as two men came into the room behind him, both men I recognized from the Five Points when I had gone there looking for Declan and had been captured by some of the Green Dagger Gang.

They each held one of our younger newsies by the arms and they presented them to MacGregor for inspection.

"Found them climbing down the fire escape, probably to get help."

"What do you want us to do with them Ewan?" Ewan. My heart skipped a beat and not in a good way. This was the leader of the Green Dagger Gang. Why was he here? Why had he been following me around?

"Take them upstairs. We'll get rid of everyone so those miserable boys won't have a home or their women to come back to. If they come back of course. You children never should have meddled in this, and you should never have seen me back in the Points." I gaped up at Ewan, my mouth opening and closing and he 'tsked' before grasping me by the front of my shirt and hauling me up to my feet.

"What do you mean, I never saw you in the Points, only down here when you were playing detective!" Ewan gave me a mockingly sad smile and bent his mouth down close to my ear.

"You saw me that night when you fled in terror with Declan." My brain reeled as I realized he meant the night I had seen the Ripper killing a prostitute. I began to squirm, trying to get away from him, but the grip he held me with was like iron.

Taking two fingers, he lovingly traced the cut that ran down my cheek. His dark blue eyes were full of madness and I would have started crying if I didn't want to scare the two little boys the other men held, who were already crying.

"Did you like my gift? I think I'll give you a necklace to match," Ewan said as he dragged me along behind him. His two minions were herding the boys up the stairs before them. My foot kicked the small gun that he had knocked out of my hand, and I wrenched free, dropping to my knees to grab it and then aim it.

The recoil on such a small weapon was tiny but the noise was loud. Unfortunately for me, my aim was not so good. Ewan roared in pain and clapped a hand to his shoulder. His men came forward, forgetting about the small boys they held.

"Run!" I screamed loudly, "Run and get help!" One boy was crying too hard to hear me, but the other one kicked the man holding him on the shin hard, and when the man swore and let go, was out the door in a flash.

****

Spot stood in an alleyway, watching the sun go down. He didn't want to attack the gang until nightfall, when there would be less witnesses. He had already spent most of the afternoon getting the lay of the neighborhood and watching the coming and goings of the gang out of their ground level apartment in a tenement building. Surveying the group of boys who stood around him grimly, he sent a small prayer up and hoped that God was listening today.

Action came and tapped him on the shoulder, and he went off to confer with him and Wraps. Spitfire was there as well, having bluntly told Spot when the two joined them in Manhattan that her man wasn't fighting without her. Spot had wanted to send her on her way, but another body was another body. She watched them from where she stood leaning against a building, her face pale in the dying light.

"Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to take some of you with me and walk right up there. They'll all come piling out as soon as they realize they're being threatened. The rest of you wait while the main group starts fighting. Then you join in, giving us a fresh wave of fighters. Have the boys on the rooftop with their slingshots start pelting away. Then Kid Blink will bring in the Manhattan boys from the opposite end of the alley and we'll box them in and let the games truly begin." Spot clapped Action and Wraps on their shoulders as they nodded.

"Action, you, Wraps, Rooster and Tips come with me. The rest of you stick to the plan." Spot heaved out a huge breath and looked up at the darkening sky, orange sunlight being chased by the dark blue of night.

"Let's go," he finally said with more bravado then he felt. With the four other young men close behind him, he set across the street to the head of Bandit's Roost Alley. Trying to put a confident swagger in his stride, his eyes shot from side to side taking in any sudden movements and the people skulking in the shadows. It didn't take long for them to reach the dented, scratched wooden doorway they had marked as the entrance to the Green Dagger Gang's hideout. Spot took a deep breath that he tried to hide from his men and lifting his cane, rapped sharply on the door.

For a few moments nothing happened, and glancing back at Action and shrugging, Spot began to turn around when the door swung open. A woman with lank brown hair pulled back into a sloppy bun of medium height answered the door. Her green eyes raked him up and down, a derisive sneer showing the gaps where she had lost most of her teeth.

"What do you want little boy?" Her voice was hard, like her eyes, but the effect was ruined by the pronounced lisp that came out when she spoke. Spot gave her a bored look and crossed his arms, still holding onto his cane.

"Nothing to do with you lady. We're here to talk to Ewan." The woman gave him a strange smile that lit up her eyes in a malicious way.

"He's not here kid, but I'm sure you can leave a message...ACK!" The door was wrenched from her grasp, and the woman disappeared, after being shoved aside. She was replaced with the man Spot had been hoping to see the most, Declan Moody. Declan's cobalt eyes were full of a mixture of shock, anger, and annoyance.

"What are ye doing here?" Declan stepped outside, the sheer bulk of his chest and muscular arms forcing the younger men to step back.

"What's going on Declan?" came a male voice from inside. Declan turned his head so that he could shout back, but not lose sight of the Brooklyn kids before him.

"Nothing...yet. Round up the lads Patrick." Then he faced Spot fully again, cracking his knuckles and puffing out his chest.

"So ye came out here with just three of your boys? I highly doubt that. No matter, we'll take care of whoever you have with the few I've got and once the others get back from wherever Ewan took them they'll help clean ye up as well. I'm tired of you little brats messing around in our business." Declan gave Spot a snide smile and widened his stance, rolling up his sleeves.

"Plus there's the matter of your woman to attend to as well." Spot dropped his cane and swung a punch so fast Declan barely had time to jump back. His fist just barely clipped Declan's jaw, but it was enough to whip the older man's head around, flinging the bowler hat he wore off onto the ground.

Declan put a hand up to his jaw and spat blood onto the ground, his eyes igniting with an inner fire. Then he laughed, blood staining his white teeth, and filling the gaps where he was missing a few teeth himself.

"I came for Ewan but I'll take you instead gladly, you bastard. If you mention Riot's name again I'll..." Declan's fist lashed out this time, catching Spot on the nose. There was a crunching noise and Spot gasped with the shock of pain that bloomed in his face. He could feel his men holding him up and some of them going to step around him.

"Stop!" He howled in pain, his voice garbled as blood dripped down the back of his throat. Coughing and spitting, he held out his arms to hold his boys back. Declan's eyes filled with approval.

"This is between me and him. Get the boys ready for when we're done or if any of these bastards try to jump ahead. Wraps, get over here and set my nose." Voices rose in disapproval and excitement. Spot could hear windows being opened and shouting from the surrounding tenement buildings.

Declan waited calmly, as ten or twelve of his gang came outside holding pieces of lead pipe, chains, and knives. The Brooklyn boys spilled from across the street into the Roost. It was clear they outnumbered the gang and Spot wondered in a haze of pain if he had gotten his intel wrong. It was supposed to be the other way around, the Dagger gang should have more men. Something wasn't right here. But he barely had time to wrap his head around it before Wraps stood before him, holding his now crooked nose with his hands gently.

"This is going to hurt like hell boss," Wraps said softly. Spot ground his teeth and just shot Wraps a furious look. Wraps nodded and with a swift movement pushed the bones of Spot's nose back into place. Spot roared in pain, swearing and spitting blood. Then he wiped a hand over his eyes and shook his head, trying to clear it a little. Declan stood waiting, his hands balled into fists, raised and ready.

"Let's do this," Spot said through clenched teeth. He and Declan moved around each other in almost a dance, holding their fists up, lunging forward trying to catch the other off guard. Declan threw another punch aimed at his nose but Spot ducked and caught Declan in the side with an uppercut that made the older man grunt in pain. Then the two ran at each other, grappling. Declan tried to get his meaty hands around Spot's throat, and Spot kept throwing short jabs at Declan's unprotected sides.

"I think I'll take Lily with me when I go back to Ireland," Declan panted suddenly when they separated to take a breather. Spot saw red and knew it wasn't just from blood that had spread from his nose.

"Her name is Riot you shit, and she's mine!" Lowering his head he rammed into Declan full force, sending the both of them to the ground, scrambling amidst trash to get the upper hand. Declan punched Spot in the jaw twice, snapping his head up and around, but Spot saw his cane lying nearby and making a lunge, grabbed it and whacked Declan across the head. Declan went limp and Spot stood up, staggering.

Hands grabbed him, supporting him, ushering him to the back of the crowd of his boys, but he fought them.

"I'll kill him! I'll fucking kill the bastard!" He could hear grunts and swears as he fought free, then he waved his hand over his head, cane in hand.

"Get them!" That was when all hell broke loose. The two groups of men slammed together like waves crashing on a beach and the fighting was fast and furious. The Brooklyn boys hadn't brought as many weapons as the Green Dagger Gang men had, but growing up on the streets had taught them how to fight men who were better armed.

Wraps and Spitfire fought in a pair, back to back, lashing out when someone got too close. Action fought alongside John Bishop who put his boxing abilities to good use, knocking men with his fists left and right. Rooster went down early in the fight taking a knife to the side. Spot dropped down beside him and ripped a piece of his sleeve and wadding it up into a ball, pressing it into Rooster's side.

Luckily the wound didn't seem deep, and he ripped another long strip of his sleeve and wound it around Rooster's waist, tying the cloth into place. Rooster watched with eyes half-open until they widened suddenly.

"Boss! Watch out!" A man about twenty years old with ginger hair and a face full of freckles came at them, wielding a black jack, swinging it wildly. Spot whipped his cane across the boy's shins and sent him sprawling before leaping on top of him and pressing his cane over the man's windpipe.

"Where is Ewan?" He screamed into the other man's face. The man's face was darkening with blood, his eyes darting back and forth wildly as his hands scrabbled for purchase on the ground. Spot shouted his question one more time and only let up with his cane when the man opened his mouth and began to try to form words.

"What?" Spot demanded as the young man began to cough and clutch at his throat. The ginger held up a hand and drew in deeply with his nostrils and spat onto the ground before sitting up halfway.

"He took the rest of the gang to Brooklyn to take your lodging house. He had a spy watching your place and saw you lot leaving earlier to come here. He decided he would take your rats nest while you were busy here."

Spot felt the blood drain from his face and ice bloom in his chest. Standing up he staggered and blindly felt for a wall to lean against. Then he saw Declan staggering to his feet, and he launched himself across the small alley and grabbed the bigger man by the front of his shirt.

"Did you know? Did you know you son of a bitch? They'll kill her! They'll kill all of them!" Declan tried to pry Spot's hands off of him, his eyes confused and full of pain. Blood dripped from a lumpy cut on the side of his head where the gold top of Spot's cane had struck him.

"Know what you little piece of shit?"

"Did you know Ewan went to take my lodging house when we came here to fight you? The only people left in that house are the girls and children! He'll fucking kill them!" Confusion was replaced with a sudden understanding, and then a flash of fear, followed by blind rage. Declan heaved Spot off of him and they stood staring at each other.

"He told me they were going to scout out more locations on the docks and that I should stay with half of the men in case we were attacked. He never mentioned...I never thought...Oh my fucking God, Lily!"

"I have to go back, we have to stop this bothersome shit I've got to get to her and the other girls before your lunatic boss kills them all." Spot shoved at Declan as Declan grabbed at Spot's sleeve.

"I'm coming with you! You'll need my help."

"I'll never need your help," Spot sneered at Declan. Declan laughed weakly and putting two fingers into his mouth blew a piercing note.

"You will when I tell you how Ewan spends his downtime. The man is insane, he's the bloody Ripper. Like it or not I love Lily and I'm going with you if Ewan is trying to kill her." The fighting began to die down as the two men stared at each other for a moment longer.

"I don't like it. She's mine, she'll always be mine, but if this guy is as nuts as you say then fine, I'll accept the help." Spot turned to face the panting, sweaty, confused boys and men who now surrounded himself and Declan.

"Ewan's real plan was distract us while he took over the lodging house behind our backs," shouts of outrage drowned him out, but another whistle from Declan shut everyone up.

"We're leaving right now. This fight is over. We'll deal with it later." Spot gathered up his men and they began to leave but a voice stopped him.

"I'm taking over the Green Dagger Gang, boyos. Ewan is a monster and unfit for leadership. Those of you who want to stay in the gang come with me, we're helping the kids. Those of you who don't come better run like hell and hope I don't catch you when I'm done with Ewan." Spot turned and caught Declan's eye. He didn't like Declan, he never would. But he needed his help right now. So he inclined his head in thanks, and as one the group of men began running as fast as they could back to Brooklyn.

****

**SHOUT OUTS**

**Elyse - You are right! It was part of a plan you smart girlie you!. This chapter wasn't very light and fluffy either. I hope the fighting was okay. I agree it was about darn time Riot said those three words to Spot because as you can see, you never know what will happen. Thanks for reading and reviewing, I really appreciate it.**

**miss fervent - You are WAY too kind. I could only hope that I will get published as an actual author someday. Wouldn't that rock? I can't believe this story has taken me five years! I must be wicked lazy or something lol. You're very welcome about using your character but I could never take Fingers from you :D Thanks for reading all this time, and I hope you keep on reading and reviewing my stories.**

**xxWickedWench - Oh how I love the epic flailing, and the spazzing...*does a happy jig* I am a horrid bitch, I love my cliffhangers WAY too much. Like, an unhealthy amount. I'm so glad you'll continue to read my writing, that makes me even more spastically happy. I love your reviews, I look forward to them every single time I post a chapter. I'm glad I got the tension right, I was aiming for butt-clenching tension, and it seems I got it. *grin* Thanks for reading and reviewing. Stick around, y'hear?**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N - Okay guys here we are, the last chapter! There might be an epilogue, it depends on how this chapter goes. I hope you've enjoyed the ride, and will stick with me and any other stories I write. I've really appreciated all your support and kind words. Thank you guys so much. - A/N**

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Once Ewan got me upstairs, he threw me onto the hallway floor. I curled into a ball, breathing hard. He had hauled me up the stairs by my hair and my scalp was on fire. His two men were pounding on the door to the boys dormitory, trying to break it down. The other girls and small children must have locked themselves in.

I cried out in pain as Ewan grabbed my hair again and pulled me to my feet. Pushing me against the door his men were trying to knock down, he pounded his fist against the scratched wood.

"I have your little friend out here and I'm going to kill her if you don't open up kiddies!" I gasped as he pressed my face against the wood. Unfortunately for me it was the side that my cut was on.

"Ow you son of a bitch!" I struggled against his vise-like grip. I could hear voices in the room, and wondered why they hadn't gotten out using the fire escape. Ewan slapped the door with an open hand.

"Thats it! I'm getting my knife"

"Wait!" I could hear Emotions through the door and my stomach lurched. Some of them were still in there. I prayed that they wouldn't open the door.

"What happens if we open the door? You're just going to kill us anyways aren't you?" Emotions sounded close, as if she was standing right next to the doorway.

"Emotions don't you dare open that door!"

"I'm not going to let him kill you Riot!" Frustrated I tried kicking out at Ewan but he just tightened his grip and laughed. Suddenly I felt the wood move, and the door open. Emotions stood on the other side, her face pale but trying to look brave. I saw that the children were gone, most likely out the fire escape and that only Emotions remained.

Ewan whirled around and slapped the face of one of his henchmen. The man took the blow stoically and stood waiting for Ewan to speak. Ewan threw me across the room, and I landed in a heap on the floor.

"You let them get away? What the HELL is wrong with you? Go GET them!" The two men turned and ran out of the room. Ewan continued to have a temper tantrum, throwing random things he found around the room, breaking a window.

Emotions ran to me and helped me sit up. We clutched each other and watched Ewan in fear, flinching every time he moved. I tried to stay still, not wanting to catch his eye, but Emotions flinched, turning her head and it caught his attention.

"You think this is over? You think you've won because they got away? Well I still have two of you, and I'm going to take my time with you. Especially you." Ewan pointed at me with the tip of a large knife he had pulled out of a pocket of his greatcoat.

"You're insane," I spat. "What the hell happened to you that you do this to women?" Ewan threw his head back and laughed, then wiped a hand over his face and sobered instantly.

"I hate women. While you two are barely considered old enough to be women, you're good enough. Do you know how long I've been killing? I've never been caught and its not going to happen now."

"You're the Ripper aren't you? You killed all those women in England didn't you?" Ewan nonchalantly began to clean his fingernails with the knife. Cocking his head to one side, he stared at me with a strange, considering look on his lean face. I prayed that I could get him talking, stall him for some time. That was what it seemed all the heroes on television and in stories did. The killer or bad guy always had to have their great moment of revelation where they revealed their plans or why they murdered people. My plan was to get him talking so that everyone who had escaped could run for help.

"I don't necessarily feel the need to explain myself to you. After all, I've never told anyone why I do what I do, especially those I plan on killing. But I'm feeling indulgent right now. When that stupid little boy returns and finds his true love flayed like a fish and his head quarters taken over it will be good enough for me."

"What did Spot ever do to you?" I queried with a wavering voice. I couldn't understand the depths of this man's hatred for women and the way his mind worked. Ewan chuckled and stabbed the knife into our poker table.

"My dear girl, I don't even know the boy he just has the misfortune of getting in the way of my plans. Once we get our operation running and supplying the freedom fighters of Ireland with weapons we will finally kick the tyrannical British back to where they belong. This of course takes second place to my first passion."

"You mean butchering women," I stated flatly. Emotions put a hand on my arm and squeezed it tightly in warning and I changed my horrified expression to something more neutral. Ewan grabbed a chair and sat in it backwards, draping his arms over the back of the chair so that his hands dangled forward. Rubbing his chin, he looked at me thoughtfully and then sighed hugely.

"My mother was nothing but a filthy whore. My father died protecting our farm from English soldiers bent on taking our crops which would have left us with no food. My mother ended up becoming a whore to earn money to feed myself and my brothers and sisters. Out of all the things she could have chosen to do she sold her body to the same English soldiers who murdered my father in front of me! She of course became tainted to me after that. I moved on when I got old enough, taking odd jobs that eventually ended up with me crossing over to the country I hated, England.

One night, after working nonstop for a month, I stopped in at a pub where I started drinking.

I met a woman, who while not much to look at seemed friendly and we began drinking together. I thought things were going well when she agreed to leave with me and come back to my lodgings that night. Of course all that ended when she demanded money for that which I thought was being given for free. She didn't like me, she was another dirty whore just like my mother. When I refused, she pulled a knife on me and tried to get my money. Well I took care of her, by God. And do you know? It was the greatest feeling in the world."

Emotions made a keening noise in the back of her throat and I gagged, thinking about the poor woman who lost her life in such a horrific way. Ewan's eyes were faraway as he recounted his gruesome tale, telling us about each knife stroke, the noises she made when she died, the way the blood splattered him.

"I decided then and there that the only way to get out my anger at my situation was to take it out on those miserable women who sell their bodies. Who would miss them? Surely not many. I did however, find it necessary to lay low for awhile but to stop killing was unbearable for me. Finally I decided a move was in order where I could establish myself and raise money and guns for the Cause. The women I've killed here is just the icing on the cake."

Ewan paused and ran a hand through his hair. His eyes regained focus and he stood up, knocking the chair over. Fear coursed through me, like ice water running through my veins. The villain was done with his story. Now he was going to finish what he had started.

"I think I'll start with you first," he said as he casually wrenched the knife up from the tabletop, pointing it at Emotions. Emotions paled and leaping to her feet, made a sudden dash to the window where the fire escape was. Ewan caught her easily, his long legs eating up the length of the room in just a few strides. Grabbing her wrist, he made a slashing motion, cutting through Emotions' shirt, drawing blood.

When his back was turned, I leapt on top of him, punching his temple with all my might. I might as well have hit him with a pillow for all the good it did. Roaring in anger, he twisted, dumping me onto the floor. I saw Emotions make it out the window, grasping her side.

Ewan screamed in frustration, and kicked me in the ribs. I groaned in pain and rolled on the floor as he ranted and raved. Reaching down to grab me by the front of my shirt, I grasped onto his arm and bit his hand hard enough to draw blood.

"You little bitch!" He cradled his hand with his good one, dropping the knife. I snatched it up and held it in front of me, my eyes never leaving him as I struggled to stand. It hurt to breathe, my side ached where he kicked me.

"Do you think you're going to kill me with that? Look at how your hand shakes. You're too scared." Ewan started towards me, his mocking voice causing my hand to tighten on the knife until my knuckles stood out whitely.

"Get away from me you fucking monster," I rasped. Ewan laughed, a high pitched, crazy sound.

"Yes I suppose I am a monster. But monsters are hard to kill and little girls are not." He lunged for me, and with a cry I slammed the knife into his chest as close to his heart as I could get. I hit bone but the blade went through, numbing my hand with the ferocity of the strike.

Ewan stopped in his tracks, looking down at his chest incredulously. I laughed hysterically, covering my mouth as tears leaked out of my eyes. Grasping the handle with both of his hands, Ewan fell to one knee and looked up at me with eyes that were rapidly unfocusing.

"Just fucking die!" I screamed, my voice thick with tears. Ewan complied, dropping onto his side, a pool of blood steadily growing on the wooden floor. Thoroughly shaken, I ran past him, out of the boys room and down the stairs. When I reached the lobby, the door burst open and the first person I saw was Spot, followed by Declan.

I began sobbing uncontrollably as Spot caught me in his arms and held me so tight that I couldn't breathe. I clung to him, burying my face into his chest as I was surrounded by Brooklyn, Manhattan, and members of the Green Dagger Gang. Everyone's voices was just a buzz of sound. All I concentrated on was the soothing murmur of Spot's rough voice as he ran a hand through my hair, down my back repeatedly.

"Hush Riot, hush. Everything's alright now, I've got you." It took a few moments but I finally cried myself out, and pulled back only to gasp in horror at the swollen mess that was Spot's nose and eyes.

"What the fuck happened to you?" Then I looked at who was standing next to him and knew. Declan looked at the ground guiltily with his own rapidly swelling eye and jaw. Hearing noise at the front of the room, I was relieved to see the girls coming in followed by the children. Fingers and Action carried Emotions between them, who was swearing up a storm and still clutching her side.

"Where is he?" Declan said as I gently extricated myself from Spot and made my way over to Emotions. I didn't speak, just pointed upstairs. Declan left with two of his men. I never saw the two henchmen who had been with Ewan. They must have just kept running. Emotions hissed in pain as I moved her hand to look at her cut. It wasn't too deep, but it would need stitches.

"I'm sorry I left you," she said looking up at me worriedly from where Fingers and Action had set her on the couch. I waved a hand and shook my head.

"Don't worry about it Emotions, I would have run too if I could. It worked out in the end didn't it?" She nodded, but still looked upset. I sent Bookworm, Duck, and Sprite off to get supplies so we could take care of her. Spot came up behind me and rubbed the back of my neck. I was glad for the contact and I turned and embraced him.

"I had to kill him, Spot," I whispered in his ear. Spot hugged me back and cupped my chin in his hand.

"You did what you had to do Riot."

"How did you get Declan to help?" Spot took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair. Looking over at the stairs where Declan and his two henchmen were coming down, a blanket wrapped bundle carried amongst them the size of a man, he gave me a slight smile.

"He came because of you Riot. As soon as he found out that Ewan was on his way here he stopped fighting with me and demanded to help. I wish to God I had been here and you hadn't had to kill him. That should have been my job." I patted Spot on the chest and then turned to where the girls were prepping Emotions for her stitches.

As long as I had something to keep my mind occupied, I wouldn't think about stabbing Ewan and ending someone's life. It wasn't a wondrous thing like he made it out to be, it was horrible. I let the noise of all the boys wash over me as I held the whiskey bottle that Emotions occasionally took gulps out of. It wasn't until halfway through, while Emotions was swearing as Duck made neat stitches, that I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Looking up, I saw Declan standing behind me, his face grim. Putting the whiskey bottle on the floor, I turned around and taking a deep breath I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Will ye come outside with me?" I looked over and caught Spot's eye, then nodded and followed Declan out the front door. Manhattan was starting to head back, and we stood smoking silently, watching them leave.

"I'm the leader of the gang now. I wish I could have gotten here sooner. I wish I had done something about Ewan but I was a coward." I put a hand on Declan's arm and he covered it with his own larger hand.

"What could you have done? Nobody would have probably believed you, and he would have killed you for sure."

"I should have killed him when I found out that night when I saved you in the Points. I got a glimpse of his face that night, and I should have acted but instead I let it go. I'll never forgive myself for that. But at least now I can take the gang in a new direction, one that will leave you and your friends alone. I promise you that."

"Thank you," I said quietly. We stood together in more silence until Declan departed with the rest of his men.

Later that night, after the blood had been cleaned off of the floor of the boys room, and everyone had gone to bed, I stood in front of the window in Spot's room watching the family in the tenement building across the way. The only light came from a lantern that sat in one corner. Spot was sprawled across the mattress on the floor, rolling cigarettes in bed which was something that infuriated me because he got tobacco everywhere, but tonight I didn't care. Tonight I was just glad to be there with him, alive and well.

Spot sat up, and began brushing out the bed. I went over and helped him, then curled up into a ball. He wrapped himself around me, and it was only his closeness that enabled me to finally shut the horrors of the day out of my mind and go to sleep.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N - OK so there will be an epilogue. But this was the last chapter, chapter. - A/N**

**SHOUT OUTS**

**Elyse** - I hope this helped clear up some of why Ewan is what he is and did what he did. This story did go by fast but it took forever to write! Sorry, Declan and Spot are staying alive. Declan may even come back to appear in another story of mine. Thanks for reading and reviewing this whole time, I appreciate the support.

**xxWickedWench** - Your review totally made me giggle. I'm so glad you liked it! I will leave my FictionPress name on the epilogue page because I would love for you to vomit on my review page there as well!. Ew somehow that doesn't sound right. Hope you liked this chapter, glad you didn't see anything coming! Thank you for reading my story and reviewing, I appreciate all your reviews and support.


	20. Chapter 20

**EPILOGUE**

**A/N - So here we are, the Epilogue! I can promise you guys are going to hate the hell out of me at the end of this and I'm going to sit in my chair and laugh evilly. But it leaves room for another Spot/Riot story. In the meantime I might do a Misery/Pie Eater or Mismatch/Racetrack story. Any votes? Ok well onto the Epilogue. It's been a great ride with you guys and I hope you join me here with my new stories, and also on fictionpresscom. My name on there is Angry Leprechaun and if you want to read some other stories on an account that I can't remember the password to update the stories, go to DrunkenLullaby81 I think it is. Or maybe there's no 81. Anyway, i'm on there. Thanks again for all your reviews and kind words. They mean the world to me. -A/N**

It had been a month since Ewan's attack on the lodging house, Emotions side had healed up nicely, and life was going on as usual. Almost losing me had brought Spot and I closer together, and I had another secret that I knew was going to change everything.

But tonight we were meeting Declan down at the docks to say good-bye. He had finally gotten his guns and was heading back to Ireland. It was very warm that night and the stars shown through the city smog, and the fog that rose off of the river.

Spot came down with me, our hands entwined swinging between us. He had gotten more openly affectionate and the other kids welcomed it. It was almost as if he was coming out of a shell that he had hidden in for years. There were some other kids waiting at the docks when we showed up. Kate Bishop was there with her beau Ian, Fingers accompanied Action and I noticed them holding hands and gave Fingers a thumbs up which made her blush furiously.

Some singles had come down, grateful to be seeing Declan off. The mood wasn't exactly friendly but neither was it completely hostile. Seeing a motion in shadows off to my right, I saw two guilty faces part and laughed at Rooster and Angel. So that was the way the wind blew. Shaking my head and giving a silvery little laugh, I continued on to the boat where Declan waited.

I had to grin when I saw the name of the boat, 'The Grace O'Malley' who had been a famous pirate queen in her own right in the 1600's.

Most of Declan's men were on board, loading up coffins which I knew were full of guns. Declan had pulled some strings with one of the Five Points gangs and finally gotten ahold of enough guns to make his boss back in Ireland happy. I knew the terror and bloodshed that was about to swallow up that country in the coming years and I was unhappy that Declan was leaving.

Did I care for Declan? Yeah like Hell I did. But I loved Spot and that was where my choice was. Declan came to the front of the boat and stood, arms akimbo, staring at me standing with Spot.

"I'll ask ye again, Lily. Will ye come with me?" I felt Spot tense and bristle, but I just put an arm around him and smiled sadly up at Declan. Declan gave me a pained attempt at a smile and waved his hands, trying to hide the disappointment in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Declan. I have to stay here. May the road rise to meet you..." I began while Declan stared at me, his eyes full of misery. Then he gave a half-sob, half-laugh and sang along with me.

"May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand"

When Declan's rich tenor ended on the last note, he held up a hand in silent farewell, and one of his men cast of the mooring line. Some of us waved, some of us spat on the ground and bid them good riddance. I just prayed that Declan made it through the coming madness and could find happiness.

"Well Jesus Christ i didn't realize he was in LOVE with you," Spot ground out furiously, watching the ship disappear into the night. I gave him a small, secret smile and taking his hand in my own turned to head back to our home, the lodging house.

"He may love me but I love you," I said quietly. Spot stopped and cupping my face in his hands, kissed me tenderly.

"I love you too Riot."

"Good then you won't get mad at me." Spot pulled back away from me and looked at me hard, one eyebrow raised.

"Mad at you for what?"

"Well I guess you can't really be mad at JUST me, but..."

"MAD AT YOU FOR WHAT?" Taking his hand I placed it on my belly and gave him the sweetest, biggest doe-eyed look I could give.

"You're going to be a daddy!" The King of Brooklyn looked down at my flat stomach, laughed and then when he saw my face turn serious, paled. Then he did something I would never have expected. The bugger fainted clean away.

"Men," I sighed as I grabbed him by the arms and began dragging him back to the lodging house.

"They're going to be the death of me."

**A/N - AWwww man how much do you guys hate me? Bring it! Keep an eye out for some new stories to come out from me, and check me out on fictionpresscom under Angry Leprechaun. I hope to see you at me new stories! *waves and hands out cookies* Thanks for everything! -A/N**


	21. writer's desperate plea

Author's Note - Okay this is going to seem a little desperate and not probably allowed since this isn't a chapter or anything, just a suggestion.

If you enjoyed Going Home, you will like No Rest For the Wicked, which is the sequel to Going Home.

You will also enjoy A Cold Spring Day which is the sequel to No Rest for the Wicked.

I also have another story out right now called Misery's Company.

I miss all of you guys who read my stories! Where did you go? Come back and let me know what you think of my new stories!

Okay was that desperate enough? I think so. Thanks!

-Riot


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